Species diversity of darkling beetles in desert landscape and their value as bioindicators
The species diversity of darkling beetles in six plots within Desert Steppe ( DS) , Cultivated Caragana Land ( CCL1, CCL2) and Shifting Dune Enclosures ( SDE1 , SDE2, SDE3 ) in the Ningxia Lingwu Baijitan National Nature Reserve was surveyed from April to August in 2010. A total of 3 406 darkling beetles were collected by pitfall traps. The results show that all specimens belonged to 22 species and 12 genera. Anatolica and Microdera were the dominant genera and Anatolica potanini Reitter, Anatolica kraatz alashanica Skopin, Anatolica amoenula Reitter and Anatolica mucronata Reitter were the dominant species. Species richness, evenness and diversity were highest in the SDE1 plot. The dominance index and number of individuals were the highest in SDK/1 plot. The CCL1 plot had the lowest number of beetles. Cluster analysis indicates that the community structure and habitat of the SDE and DS plots were quite dissimilar. Using the indicator-value (IndVals) method to analysis species as an indicator of habitat, the results show that A. potanini, Mantichorula semenowi Reitter , A. Mucronata were indicators of SDE. Trigonocnera pseudopimelia (Reitter) ,Cyphogenia chinensis ( Faldermann) and A. Nureti were indicators of DS. Platyope mongolica Faldermann, Sternoplax setosa setosa (Bates) and Microdera kraatzi (Reitter) can be regarded as indicators of habitat restoration in desert regions and A. Amoenula can be regarded as an indicator of habitat degradation in desert regions.
darkling beetlesdesert landscapeinsect diversitybioindicatorBeijitan National Nature Reserve