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IZVORNI I ZNANSTVENI ČLANCI – ORIGINAL SCIENTIFIC PAPERS Šumarski list br. 9–10, CXXXIV (2010), 475-486 UDK 630* 114.6 + 411 (001) VARIATIONS OFCARABID BEETLE AND ANTASSEMBLAGES, AND THEIR MORPHO-ECOLOGICALTRAITS WITHIN NATURAL TEMPERATE FORESTS IN MEDVEDNICA NATURE PARK RAZLIKE U SASTAVU I MORFOLOŠKO-EKOLOŠKIM ZNAČAJKAMA MRAVAI TRČAKAU PRIRODNIM ŠUMAMANAPODRUČJU PARKAPRIRODE MEDVEDNICA 11 2 Lucija ŠERIĆ JELASKA, Ana JEŠOVNIK, Sven D. JELASKA, 311 Aljoša PIRNAT , Mladen KUČINIĆ, Paula DURBEŠIĆ SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to investigate responses of ant and carabid assemblages and their morpho-ecological traits to habitat differences within natural temperate forests in Medvednica Nature Park. Toquantify habitat differences in examined areas, both structural heterogeneity of the vegetation and taxonomic diversity of plants were measured on six plots. Habitat complexity was quantified using four habitat characteristics within the site: tree canopy cover; shrub canopy cover; ground herbs and leaf litter cover. Ants and carabids were sampled using pitfall traps. Ant species richness and abundance, unlike carabid species richness were positively correlated with habitat complexity, especially with leaf litter cover on plots. The responses of insects morpho-ecological traits to habitat were recorded, with more large bodied carabids present in more complex site and higher abundance of opportunist ant species in more open sites with low complexity of vegetation. Higher dominance of certain carabid species at the lower plots then those on the top of the mountain, suggest competitive exclusion, confirming lower areas as more stable. Species adapted to colder climate, that inhabit higher elevations such as flightless forest specialist Cychrus caraboidesandCara- bus irregularis, and boreo-montane ant species Camponotus herculeanus, are less competent to colonize lower areas. Furthermore, they may not survive severe instability of their habitats, especially in a changing climate. Overall results suggest that conservation issues need to be focused on preserving stability and structural complexity of forest habitat in summit areas of the mountain. Key words: biodiversity, vegetation structure, litter, altitude, nature conservation, forest habitat INTRODUCTION – Uvod Mountain landscapes usually offer steep gradients perature, precipitation, etc.), what is reflected in the for a wide range of environmental parameters (i.e. tem-adaptation and distribution of different types of organisms and ecological communities that occupy different 1 Dr. sc.Lucija Šerić Jelaska, dipl. prof. Ana Ješovnik, prof. dr. sc. Mladen Kučinić, prof. dr. sc. Paula Durbešić, positions along these gradients (review inHodkinson Division of Biology (*Group for Systematic Zoology & Entomo 2005). Many of these environmental factors are multifa logy), Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, ceted and interlinked in defining overall structural com 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, Phone: +385 1 4877711; Fax: +385 1 4826260, e-mail: slucija@zg.biol.pmf.hr plexity of insect habitats, which Hodkinson (2005) 2 Doc. dr. sc. Sven D. Jelaska, Division of Biology (*Group has found to decrease with increasing altitude.The latter forTerrestrial biodiversity), Faculty of Science, University affects not only the species richness but also the species of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 20, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia 3 composition of insect communities (Whittaker 1952 Mr. sc. Aljoša Pirnat, Groharjeva 18, SI-1241 Kamnik, Slovenia |