Biodiv Sci ›› 2011, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (3): 363-368.  DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1003.2011.06257

Special Issue: 昆虫多样性与生态功能

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Diversity of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at Cuihu, a newly- built urban wetland park in Beijing

Zhimin Su1,3, Dingcheng Huang1,3, Runzhi Zhang1,2,*()   

  1. 1 CAS Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101
    2 State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101
    3 Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
  • Received:2010-10-27 Accepted:2010-12-23 Online:2011-05-20 Published:2013-12-10
  • Contact: Runzhi Zhang

Abstract:

To evaluate the potential role of an urban wetland park in conserving biodiversity during urbanization, we studied ground beetle (Carabidae) diversity using pitfall traps in five vegetation types, i.e., poplar, cypress, mixed forest, barberry scrub, and reed beds, within a newly-built urban wetland park, Cuihu Wetland Park in Beijing, for three years. A total of 441 individuals representing 30 species and 18 genera of carabid beetles were captured. Carabid species richness and abundance both sharply increased with park age. For each of the five vegetation types, approximately 25% of their carabid species (3-4 species) were unique and were not detected in other types. Poplar forest exhibited the highest abundance and richness of carabid species and showed the strongest increasing trend through time. Our results suggested a significant role of urban wetland parks in the conservation of carabid beetle diversity in the process of urbanization. In order to maximize their conservation value, they should be revegetated by a diversity of plants while using poplars as pioneers.

Key words: wetland park, carabid beetles, urbanization, biodiversity, Beijing