S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 54. (Budapest, 1993)
FOLIA E NTOMOLOG ICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK LIV 1993 p.65-73 Analysis of the distribution of ground beetles in different habitats of the Nagy-szénás Nature Reserve (Coleoptera: Carabidae) By F. Kádár and Gy. Szél (Received March 22,1993) Analysis or the distribution of ground beetles in different habitats of the Nagy-szénás Nature Reserve (Coleoptera: Carabidae). - 3058 specimens of 23 species were caught by pitfall traps in six different plant associations of Nagy-szénás [Nagykovácsi, Budai-hegység (- hills), Hungary]. The dominance of the species, dissimilarity of assemblages, grouping of habitats and carabids resulted from the statistical analysis of the data (classification, ordination, habitat fidelity and habitat selection index). Introduction Ground beetles constitue one of the major groups of the beetle fauna, the members of which live on the surface of the soil in the forest community (Loreau 1984). Many publications deal with the carabid beetles of woodlands, while others with their affinity, preference to habitats and with their distribution (Thiele 1977). The aim of our study is to give data on the distribution of the characteristic carabid beetles in a protected area of Hungary. We dedicate this work to the late dr. Imre Loksa (Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology of the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest), who collected the material. Material and methods Our investigated area lies on the Nagy-szénás Hill, near Budapest, in the Budai-hegység (Nagykovácsi, Hungary). The rocks are Triassic dolomite and limestone covered with brown forest soil and rendzina at the altitude of 250-500 m. The quantity of rainfall is 6-700 mm, the average of annual temperature is 9C (Pécsi et al. 1954). Our examinations were carried out in the following six plant associations by pitfall trapping: 1. Festuco-Brometum pannoniéi (BR) 2. Fago-Ornetum (FO) 3. Querco petraeae-Carpinetum (QC) 4. Melittio-Fagetum (MF) 5. Pine tum nigrae cultum (PN) 6. Fago-Ornetum with Festuca amethystina (FA) and by hand: 7. Chrysopogono-Caricetum humilis (CC) The specimens of carabid beetles were captured by pitfall trapping between 1983 and 1985. Ten traps were placed in each of the above associations and emptied three times per year. Each
