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Contemporary Problems of Ecology

2002 year, number 6

Fauna of Herpetobiont Coleoptera in the Vicinities of the Mount Neroika (Circumpolar Urals)

E. V. ZINOVYEV, A. Yu. MALOZEMOV
Pages: 703-710

Abstract

The species composition and the biotopic distribution of herpetobiont coleopterous insects in the vicinities of the mount Neroika (Circumpolar Urals) is considered, 78 species have been recorded.  Four beetle complexes have been distinguished: forest, meadow, mountain-meadow and mountain-tundra complexes which correspond to meadow-forest, mountain-meadow, and mountain-tundra habitat types. It is established that altitudinal borders are clearly expressed only between the two first biotopes, while between the mountain-meadow and mountain-tundra habitats there are no clear-cut differences in the altitudinal localization. On the basis of this, it is hypothesized that the spread of insects is determined first of all by the specificity of hydroedaphic factors in each biotope type associated, i.a., with their altitude localization. An analysis of the degree of equalization of the insects` species composition with respect to Shannon`s index of diversity has been carried out, a decrease of this index from meadow-forest to mountain-tundra habitats has been established.  A high activity of the beetles in mountain-meadow and mountain-tundra biotopes throughout the catching period has been demonstrated.  Here, two peaks of beetles` activity have been noted: in the beginning of summer and in late July. Variations in the beetles` activity in mountain-meadow and mountain-tundra biotopes are accounted for by changes in weather conditions, in particular the air temperature, during the catching period.