Habitat Age Increases Reproduction and Nutritional Condition in a Generalist Arthropod Predator

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 135; no. 1; pp. 78 - 83
• Main Authors: Mario Barone, Frank, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 01.03.2003; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Beetles; Biological and medical sciences; Coleoptera; Demecology; Ecosystem; Ecosystems Ecology; Eggs; Environment; Female; Female animals; Females; Fertility; Food availability; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Habitats; Insect eggs; Male; Male animals; Moisture content; Nutritional Status; Ovum; Population Dynamics; Predatory Behavior; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Reproduction; Soil water; Soil water content; Time Factors; Vegetation cover; Water; Water content; Wild flowers; Wildlife habitats; Coleoptera; Insecta; Biological control; Carabidae; Environmental factor; Reproduction; Entomophagous; Beneficial animal; Vegetation cover; Arable land; Dominant species; Wild plant; Plant cover; Habitat; Reproductive potential; Nutritional status; Cultural practice; Pterostichus; Nutrition; Secondary succession; Poecilus cupreus; Arthropoda; Field edge; Predator; Invertebrata; Semi-natural habitats
• ISSN: 0029-8549; 1432-1939
• DOI: 10.1007/s00442-002-1175-2

We studied the nutritional and reproductive response of Poecilus cupreus (synonymous with Pterostichus cupreus), one of the most abundant carabid beetles in arable land, to the succession in sixteen 1- to 4-year-old wildflower areas. A total of 390 male and 373 female beetles was examined. Each female was dissected and the number of ripe eggs counted. The nutritional state was expressed by a condition factor, which was calculated for each individual based on the observed weight and elytra length of male and female P. cupreus. Carabids in the 1-year-old wildflower areas contained significantly less ripe eggs than those from the 4-year-old areas. The condition factor of female and male beetles was significantly lower in 1- than 2- to 4-year-old areas. We examined the influence of habitat parameters (vegetation cover, soil water content, coarse and fine sand, pore volume, habitat size and age, surrounding landscape structure) on the reproductive success and nutritional state of P. cupreus in the 16 wildflower areas. The number of eggs was best explained by habitat age, accounting for 53.4% of the variability. The variation in the condition factor of female and male beetles was best explained by habitat age, which accounted for 73% and 71% of the variation, respectively. Moreover, the beetles' reproductive potential and nutritional condition were significantly associated with vegetation cover, and occasionally also with soil water content. The potential of wildflower areas as a reservoir for the generalist predator P. cupreus was shown to increase with successional age.