Basic and Applied Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Effects of grassland management on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages and availability as prey for farmland birds","authors":"Anne Pieter Jansma ,&nbsp;Henry Kuipers ,&nbsp;Jeroen Breidenbach ,&nbsp;Nyncke Hoekstra ,&nbsp;Nick van Eekeren ,&nbsp;Hans de Kroon ,&nbsp;Astrid Manhoudt","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.11.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are an abundant surface-active arthropod family in agricultural systems, serving as an important food source for several insectivorous farmland birds in the breeding season. This study compares ground beetle assemblages, from the perspective as food source for farmland birds, in intensively managed (IM) and extensively managed (EM) grasslands. Ground beetles were sampled over two years (2017, 2019) using pitfall traps in ten intensively managed and ten extensively managed grasslands across five farms in the clay-peat district of Friesland, the Netherlands. We investigated the effect of management type on ground beetle assemblages and examined differences in species traits body length (&lt;4 mm; 4–8 mm; 8–12 mm and &gt;12 mm) and diel activity (nocturnal, diurnal). Ground beetle numbers were higher in IM fields, but there were pronounced differences between IM and EM grasslands regarding body size and diel activity. Diurnal ground beetles sized 4–12 mm were more abundant and species-rich in EM fields, while large nocturnal ground beetles (&gt;12 mm) were more numerous in IM grasslands. IM grasslands were dominated by a few large-bodied species (e.g. <em>Pterostichus melanarius</em>), whereas EM grasslands supported a more diverse community. We conclude that extensively managed AES grasslands support a more diverse ground beetle assemblage, with a higher abundance of ground beetles within the optimal prey size range (4–12 mm) and activity period for most farmland birds. This potentially improves ground beetle availability as prey item for farmland birds during the breeding season. Our study provides empirical support for policies such as AES that provide financial incentives for biodiversity-friendly extensive farmland management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 33-41"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Native plant communities designed for infiltration swales can tolerate urban heat, flooding, and pollution","authors":"Nadja K. Berger ,&nbsp;Johannes Kollmann ,&nbsp;Leonardo H. Teixeira","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under global change urban environments need to become resilient to sustainably provide liveable conditions. With growing cities and limited space, the design of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) must provide multiple ecosystem services, including microclimate regulation, aesthetic enhancement, biodiversity support, and stormwater management. Infiltration swales are a UGI type designed to manage stormwater by reducing peak runoff, increasing infiltration, and retaining pollutants. Little is known about the respective plant communities that must cope with multiple stressors, including urban heat, periodic flooding, and contamination from surface runoff. Thus, we designed a gradient of seven seed mixtures, each composed of different proportions of 20 species in total, representing a gradient from mesic to wet grasslands. The resulting communities were exposed to heat, flooding, and contamination in a factorial design in a walk-in ecotron for twelve weeks. Total biomass of the established communities increased for higher proportions of mesic species in the seed mix and under flooding. When analysing functional groups, the effect was driven by the mesic legume <em>Lotus corniculatus</em> and partially by the wet grassland legume <em>Tetragonolobus maritimus</em>. Non-legume forbs and grasses had a low proportion of total biomass, while forbs responded positively to heating, and the ratio between functional groups was more even in wet grassland communities. Few functional differences were seen among species, but SLA showed higher plasticity in <em>T. maritimus</em> than in <em>L. corniculatus.</em> Growth rates of individual plants were higher in communities dominated by wet grassland species, while mesic communities produced more total biomass. This might be beneficial to ecosystem services like microclimate regulation. The results indicate that all tested communities tolerated the urban stressors in their first growing season and thus could replace current species-poor grass seed mixes in infiltration swales. Still, long-term studies are needed to validate these results for more mature communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 89-98"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strong genetic differentiation of Pedicularis palustris supports local seed sourcing in wetland restoration","authors":"Eva Mikulášková,&nbsp;Jakub Šmerda,&nbsp;Petra Šarhanová,&nbsp;Michal Hájek,&nbsp;Petra Hájková,&nbsp;Michal Horsák,&nbsp;Tomáš Peterka,&nbsp;Martina Omelková,&nbsp;Veronika Horsáková","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pedicularis palustris</em>, a hemiparasitic plant, can act as an ecosystem engineer by suppressing dominant vegetation and facilitating fen restoration. As fen deterioration continues due to human activities and climate change, conservation interest in this species is increasing. In temperate Europe, where <em>P. palustris</em> is endangered and regionally fragmented, concerns are rising over future commercial cultivation and uncontrolled seed transfer. In this study, we used Restriction Site Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to assess the genetic structure and differentiation of 18 <em>P. palustris</em> populations across four regions in temperate Europe, and to provide guidance for seed sourcing in restoration practice. In the spatial autocorrelation analysis, populations within approximately 30 km showed the highest genetic similarity, followed by a steep decline up to about 50 km, suggesting limited gene flow beyond this range. Weak but significant positive autocorrelation persisted up to about 240 km, indicating regional-scale lineage cohesion. Bayesian clustering and Neighbor-Net analyses supported the existence of distinct regional gene pools, while also revealing the genetic uniqueness of certain populations. At the broadest scale, genetic affinities did not follow geographic distance, as the Alpine populations clustered with those from the Bohemian Massif, whereas the Western Carpathian populations clustered with those from the Baltic region. Our results demonstrate strong genetic differentiation both within and among regions, and suggest that meaningful provenance of <em>P. palustris</em> extends only over several tens of kilometres. For restoration, we recommend prioritising local seed sources whenever possible. Seed transfers from populations within approximately 30 km can be considered, although further experimental work is needed to confirm this threshold. Where local seed sources are unavailable, seed transfer should remain confined within the same phytogeographical region, with strict avoidance of translocation between the Carpathian and Hercynian units. Uncontrolled translocation or the use of commercial seeds of unknown origin should be avoided.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 120-129"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social-ecological relationships on biodiverse and health-promoting city soundscapes","authors":"Monika Egerer ,&nbsp;Peter Annighöfer ,&nbsp;Sophie Arzberger ,&nbsp;Tobias Bahlmann ,&nbsp;Stefanie Burger ,&nbsp;Michaela Coenen ,&nbsp;Andrew Fairbairn ,&nbsp;André Fiebig ,&nbsp;Flora Heckner ,&nbsp;Naoka Hisada ,&nbsp;Gisela Immich ,&nbsp;Eleja Kraft ,&nbsp;Niklas Meier ,&nbsp;Sebastian T. Meyer ,&nbsp;Maximilian Mühlbauer ,&nbsp;Katrin Petroschkat ,&nbsp;Birgit M. Probst ,&nbsp;Susanne Schmitt ,&nbsp;Gabriela Voicu ,&nbsp;Stephan Voss ,&nbsp;Stephan Pauleit","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban soundscapes indicate biodiversity and environmental conditions, including urban stressors. Although relationships among soundscapes, biodiversity, and mental health effects exist, better quantification is needed to inform biodiversity-based health interventions. We present the pilot phase of the CitySoundscapes project, a transdisciplinary effort to develop methods for surveying biodiversity and human wellbeing associated with urban soundscapes. This approach involved citizens and practitioners across conservation, planning and health sectors as well as various urban contexts. In this initial one-year phase of our research, we investigated how soundscape characteristics relate to green space structural complexity, how to measure biodiversity using acoustic monitoring (here, vocal bird species), and people’s acoustic perceptions. We also piloted participatory approaches to identify where there are places of high biodiversity, high acoustic comfort and perceived restoration. Our goal was not to deliver exhaustive ecological results, but to test and combine methods from ecology, environmental psychology, and urban planning for feasibility and complementarity. We present these methods and an approach to assess relationships among sound, biodiversity and wellbeing in urban spaces of varying vegetation structure. This case study provides a perspective on how green spaces and their structural features could relate to soundscapes and acoustic comfort and restoration, as well as how green spaces offer habitat for a diversity of sound-producing organisms. This methodological and conceptual contribution offers the groundwork for ecological and inter- and transdisciplinary research. The preliminary insights can inform ecological understanding and practical strategies for healthier, more biodiverse cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 73-88"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interacting contemporary and legacy disturbances affect management of floodplain forest vegetation","authors":"Samantha K. Travers ,&nbsp;Renee Woodward ,&nbsp;Eve Slavich ,&nbsp;Danielle McAllister ,&nbsp;Nicholas Chu ,&nbsp;Kristy Lawrie ,&nbsp;Emma Gorrod","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Disturbance is a strong driver of forest ecosystem species composition. Understanding how current management interacts with disturbance is critical for implementing effective strategies to promote native species. Our manipulative BACI experiment evaluated whether ecological thinning promoted a diverse native understorey in an extensive semi-arid floodplain forest that has experienced widespread woody thickening from historical logging and regulated river flows. We monitored three measures of vegetation (native plant richness; ratio of native to introduced richness; species occupancy) for one year prior to, and five years following ecological thinning, encompassing two flood disturbance events. We asked: Does vegetation response to recent flooding and thinning disturbance depend upon legacy tree densities and site productivity? Under which conditions does thinning promote native understorey species? Strong three- and four-way interactions (initial tree density, productivity, recent river flow, thinning intensity) for both measures of richness highlighted that the few positive effects of thinning were spatially and temporally variable. Native richness peaked during low to average river flow in high productivity sites with low initial tree densities and low thinning intensity (&lt;15 %). Often, increases in native richness due to thinning were accompanied by even greater increases in introduced richness. Species occupancy responded to site productivity, floods and tree densities that existed prior to thinning, irrespective of thinning intensity. Together, this demonstrates that in short timeframes ecological thinning alone will not restore understorey composition altered by woody thickening. Promoting diverse pathways of recovery from legacy and current disturbances requires greater understanding of how legacy effects persist.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 99-108"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The importance of residential vegetation cover for urban birds – linking biodiversity thresholds to standards for human well-being","authors":"Cynthia Tobisch,&nbsp;Elisa Fuchs,&nbsp;Christoph Moning","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing urbanization of landscapes raises the need to understand and optimize the role of urban green spaces in protecting both human well-being and biodiversity. However, green space requirements for supporting diverse faunal groups, such as birds, have not been linked to existing human-centric guidelines. While the evidence for the potential of residential areas in promoting avian diversity through local vegetation structures increases, the relative importance of these habitats compared to larger green spaces in the surroundings is unclear. We sampled 90 residential blocks within the city of Munich, Germany, in order to investigate the role of local vegetation cover and proximity to green spaces for avian diversity and abundance. The blocks were stratified along orthogonal gradients of vegetation cover and distance to green spaces, allowing for the assessment of the independent effects of these variables. Results of linear mixed effect models showed strong effects of total vegetation cover on both abundance and diversity of birds, while the distance to green spaces had no significant effects. Using Hill numbers as diversity measures revealed that the influence of large trees was strongest for rare species, but became insignificant when focusing on abundant species. Threshold values derived from conditional inference trees indicated significant increases in bird diversity when total vegetation cover exceeded 20–40 % and lower vegetation exceeded 11 %. Considering existing standards on green space accessibility for human health and climate regulation, we show that providing at least 10–20 % vegetation cover within residential blocks can significantly benefit both biodiversity and human well-being. Our results advance fundamental understanding of how local vegetation structure shapes avian species diversity in urban landscapes, while also offering applied guidance for biodiversity-friendly planning. Together, they highlight the potential of urban planning to create multifunctional green areas that integrate ecological and societal needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 52-61"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From the southeast Qinghai-Tibetan plateau to south China: Climate-proofing globally important landscapes for Galliformes protection","authors":"Hongyan Yao ,&nbsp;Philip J.K. McGowan ,&nbsp;Nan Wang ,&nbsp;Pengcheng Wang ,&nbsp;Yang Liu ,&nbsp;Jiliang Xu ,&nbsp;Zhengwang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The world faces unprecedented species declines. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) adopted in 2022 outlines long-term goals to reduce extinction risk by 2050 and sets interim targets for 2030 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. China, hosting a large number of species on its national Red List (1,050 vertebrate species) and the global threatened species on IUCN Red List (1,822), is critical to achieving KMGBF Goal A. To effectively reduce extinction risk for China’s species, prioritizing key landscapes and conservation gaps in existing protected areas (PAs) is critical for species diversity and ecosystem integrity under climate change, while safeguarding functional and phylogenetic diversity essential for ecosystem stability and evolutionary history. Focusing on Galliformes — a culturally and ecologically significant group — we assessed conservation priorities for 23 threatened and endemic species. We analyzed taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity across 50 km × 50 km grids, identified key landscapes, and evaluated PAs coverage under current and future climate change by their overlap with National Nature Reserves (NNRs). Our findings reveal that only ∼6 % of areas hosting threatened and endemic Galliformes diversity are currently covered by NNRs, with the most biodiverse regions receiving coverages of 5.82 %, 6.11 %, and 3.63 % for different diversity indexes. Climate change projections indicate a potential range shift towards higher elevations for these species. Key landscapes are concentrated in southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Qinling, Wuling, Nanling-Wuyi mountain ranges, Taiwan, and Hainan. Alarmingly, less than 10 % of current and future priority landscapes are protected, highlighting substantial opportunities for PA network expansion in China. Integrating functional and phylogenetic diversity with taxonomic diversity is essential to safeguard ecosystem resilience and evolutionary history. This study provides critical insights for broader conservation strategies, which will contribute to global efforts to achieve the goals and targets of the KMGBF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 130-139"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microhabitat structure modulates seed fate outcomes through differential effects on native and exotic rodent interactions in an endangered palm species","authors":"Sebastián Cordero ,&nbsp;Francisca Gálvez ,&nbsp;Gastón O. Carvallo ,&nbsp;Pedro Jordano ,&nbsp;Francisco E. Fontúrbel","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microhabitat structure plays a critical role in rodent behavior and seed resource use, influencing plant population dynamics through shifts between positive and negative interaction outcomes. However, how microhabitat attributes affect the balance between these antagonistic (seed predation) and mutualistic (dispersal) outcomes remains poorly understood for many endangered plant species. Here, we examined how microhabitat structure influences seed-rodent interactions in <em>Jubaea chilensis</em>, an endangered palm endemic to central Chile, whose populations interact with both native and exotic rodent species across different vegetation types. We hypothesized that microhabitat structure, particularly vegetation cover across different habitat types, would significantly influence the dispersal-predation balance by affecting the composition and foraging behavior of native and exotic rodent species. We monitored seed use and rodent activity using feeding stations and camera traps, while assessing microhabitat attributes. We found that exotic rodents dominated forest formations with dense understory vegetation, while native species preferred open scrublands. Understory cover emerged as the strongest predictor of the dispersal-predation balance, with dense understory shifting outcomes toward predation over dispersal. Microhabitats with higher understory cover and leaf litter water retention consistently favored seed predation, while areas with greater canopy height promoted more favorable dispersal-predation outcomes. Our findings suggest that <em>J. chilensis</em> individuals experience unfavorable dispersal-predation balances in forest habitats dominated by exotic rodents, while scrubland formations provide more balanced outcomes, where native rodents perform crucial seed dispersal services. These findings highlight the importance of considering microhabitat structure and ecological context in conservation strategies aimed at enhancing palm recruitment success and population viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 140-145"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of undersowing maize with a diverse annual flower mixture on insect abundance and diversity","authors":"Hannah Weinläder ,&nbsp;Jens Hartung ,&nbsp;Maria Müller-Lindenlauf","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiversity is declining globally, largely driven by anthropogenic land use. In Germany, maize occupies a large proportion of arable land and its cultivation is often viewed critically from an ecological perspective. Maize undersown with a diverse annual flower mixture represents a novel approach aimed at improving biodiversity. We investigated the effects of this undersowing system on the abundance, species richness, and diversity of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). We hypothesized that the flower mixtures would positively affect these insect groups. Insect sampling was conducted at four trial sites in 2022 and eight trial sites in 2023 across Baden-Württemberg, Germany. At each trial site, two cropping systems were compared: pure maize and maize intercropped with a flower mixture, cultivated on adjacent plots within the same experimental field. Flower strips implemented at six trial sites in 2023 served as additional reference, representing an established conservation measure. Undersowing maize with a flower mixture significantly increased wild bee abundance, species richness, and Shannon diversity index H‘ (SDI) compared to pure maize. However, ground beetles showed no significant differences between cropping systems. Rove beetles exhibited an intermediate response, with activity density significantly higher under undersowing, while species richness and SDI remained unaffected. Flower strips supported even higher diversity per unit area across all insect groups, as well as higher abundance of wild bees and rove beetles. However, when considering a scenario with 5 % flower strip coverage, abundance was lower compared to undersown maize. The positive effect of the undersowing system – especially for wild bees – highlights its potential to enhance habitat quality in agricultural landscapes and to complement more traditional conservation measures such as flower strips. To maximize their benefits for biodiversity, such systems should be integrated into a broader, landscape-scale conservation strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 109-119"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using historical samples to re-construct the predatory diet of carabid beetles through time","authors":"Yohann Graux ,&nbsp;Marina Querejeta ,&nbsp;Sabrina Gaba ,&nbsp;Vincent Bretagnolle ,&nbsp;Stéphane Boyer","doi":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.baae.2025.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A considerable number of carabid beetle specimens are regularly collected in agroecosystems for biodiversity monitoring and they are often stored in ethanol. Analysing the diet of these formerly caught carabid beetles would allow to gain insight into potential trends of their invertebrate prey community through time and potentially relate such patterns to changes in their environment. However, the quality of genetic material may be a limiting factor. We used a <em>COI</em> gut contents metabarcoding approach to characterize the diet of carabids specimens from two dominant species, <em>Poecilus cupreus</em> and <em>Nebria salina</em>, caught in oil seed rape fields in western France and stored in ethanol for 0–9 years. Contrary to expectations, specimen storage time did not reduce detection of prey DNA but enhanced it. Indeed, prey detection was higher in older samples than in recent ones, which may be due to an overrepresentation of good quality carabid DNA in the digestive tract of recently caught specimens. The diet of the two studied carabid species varied annually, showing significant switches between years in particular in the case of <em>Nebria salina</em>, which stresses the importance of temporal studies to fully describe the diet of carabid beetles. In addition, we detected a significant temporal trend in the diversity of prey caught by the two carabid species. We found that the two carabid beetles that dominate carabid community displayed a decreasing trend over the last decade in the number and the diversity of prey, which supports the general hypothesis of a decline in the diversity of invertebrate communities in intensive agricultural landscapes. In this study, we highlighted the power of metabarcoding for biomonitoring in historical samples for the longitudinal analysis of diets. By relying on existing collections of carabid beetles, this method could open a promising avenue to explore mid to long-term temporal variation in the animal diet and/or to detect consequences of long-term changes, such as global warming or land use changes, on predators and prey communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8708,"journal":{"name":"Basic and Applied Ecology","volume":"90 ","pages":"Pages 22-32"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}