The role of man-made grassy habitats in enhancing carabid populations in arable land.

Author Thomas, M.B.
Citation Thomas, M.B. (1990). The role of man-made grassy habitats in enhancing carabid populations in arable land. In: Stork, N.E. (ed.) The Role of Ground Beetles in Ecological and Environmental Studies: 77-85. Intercept Ltd, Andover.

Abstract

  1. Grass-sown habitats were created in the centres of two cereal fields as a management strategy to diversify the agroecosystem and to provide improved overwintering conditions for predatory Carabidae.
  2. Surface counts in the new habitats revealed overwintering carabid densities up to 60 m-2 during the first year of establishment.
  3. Absolute sampling of the within-field habitats during the second winter (1988/89) revealed carabid densities approaching 1000 m-2.
  4. The extent of spring emigration of carabids from the new habitats was monitored using artificial prey.