Composition et structure de trois peuplements forestiers de Carabides

A general descriptive and comparative study of the composition and structure of three forest carabid beetle communities is carried out in Lembeek (Belgium) using pitfall trapping over a four-year period (1978-1981). The three biotopes are a beech forest close to the climax stage, a pine plantation, and a grassland in process of afforestation. The composition of the carabid communities accords with that of the plant communities. Although the three components of diversity — richness in species, evenness and concentra¬ tion of dominance — do not show identical trends, diversity is distinctly higher in the grassland. Year-to-year changes in community structure are mainly due to climate, but are of different amplitudes. Stability, as well as differentiation of dominance structure, increase in the order : grassland — pine wood — beech forest. This suggests a growing community organization from a succes-sional stage to a climax stage, which is not correlated with diversity.Loreau Michel. Composition et structure de trois peuplements forestiers de Carabides. In: Bulletin de la Classe des sciences, tome 70, 1984. pp. 125-160