Carabid beetle assemblages (Coleoptera) in a wooded meadow and in the adjacent habitats on the Saaremaa Island, Estonia

Carabid beetles were sampled by using pitfall traps during one season in traditionally managed wooded meadow and in adjacent habitats (dry meadow, deciduous forest and spruce forest) on Saaremaa Island, Estonia. A total of 2356 carabids belonging to 35 species were caught. The number of species and species diversity were highest in the wooded meadow and lowest in the dry meadow. In the wooded meadow, the dominant species were Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger) and P. niger, (Schaller), which counted together for 49% of the total sample. The highest number of scarce species was found in the wooded meadow. Similarity of the carabid assemblages was highest between the two types of forests. The carabid assemblage in the wooded meadow was most similar to that of the deciduous forest; the values of similarity of wooded meadow versus spruce forest and wooded meadow versus dry meadow were only slightly lower. The results indicate that high biodiversity level of the wooded meadow can be maintained only through continuous traditional management