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As part of two revitalization projects of coastal wetlands on the Western Pomerania lagoon coast, dikes of the polders Bresewitz and Drammendorf are planned to be dismantled. These projects were accompanied by faunistic studies of ground beetles. In each of the polders, carabid beetle associations were investigated in six different habitats using pitfall trapping and hand collecting methods. Remains of natural wetland in the siltation zone outside the polders were also studied. The aim of the study was to record the current state of the associations, as this serves as a data basis for documenting future changes after the implementation of the revitalization measures. The sampling includes a total of 7961 specimens in 110 species. Occurrences of two species within the studied polders are of particular interest for the fauna of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Amara kulti Fassati, 1947 (both study areas), and Amara strenua Zimmermann, 1832 (polder Drammendorf, areas only 0.3 m above mean-water level). The results of the investigation confirm the particular importance of the still existing dike foreland, in particular broader zones with intact siltation structure. The siltation zone represents an essential recreational potential for carabid associations of the revitalized wetlands. In contrast, ground beetle associations of the diked areas are mostly atypical with respect to coastal wetlands and mostly poor in species, as they are characteristic of the intensively used agricultural landscape. The main reasons for this presumably are the leveled soil moisture situation and vegetation structure. It is therefore recommended to include marginal remains of natural wetland areas in the overall projection of planned dike dismantling projects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ministry for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas and the Environment in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern prepares a strategy for insect conservation. One module within the program "More respect for the insect" aimed to compare sites with completed or ongoing conservation measures with conventionally managed reference sites in order to obtain data-based recommendations for future actions. Study sites comprised organically managed arable land (vs. conventionally managed fields), stripes of grassland fallows (vs. used grassland), re-wetted and/ or abandoned peatland meadows (vs. managed grassland on drained peatland), restoration of salt marshes by relocation of dikes (vs. diked grassland) and initial stages of xerothermic grassland as a substitute for management in protected areas (vs. later succession stages). The localities were in the surroundings of Greifswald, Anklam and Pasewalk. Arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps according to the guidelines for the nationwide insect monitoring which applied at that time. At each plot six pitfalls were positioned in linear transects with Renner solution as preservative. Carabid beetles and spiders were identified to species level and included in the assessment. Concerning spiders, a total of 22902 specimens (20765 adults) from 189 species were recorded. The study provided the first records of Porrhomma campbelli, Prinerigone vagans and Robertus heydemanni in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Further six species are critically endangered (category 1) according to the latest version of the Red list of spiders in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Diplocephalus dentatus, Euryopis laeta, Micaria dives, Pellenes nigrociliatus, Psammitis sabulosus, Silometopus ambiguus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die Untersuchungen fanden von 1992 bis 1995 auf einem 24 ha großen Schlag und einem gräserdominierten Feldrain in Halle (Saale) mittels Bodenfallen statt. Zielstellung der Untersuchungen war es, über mehrere Jahre Laufkäfergemeinschaften eines großflächigen Feldes und eines Feldrains zu erfassen und im Hinblick auf Arteninventar, Dominanzgefüge, Aktivitätsdichten, Größenklassen, Austauschvorgänge von Arten zwischen den Lebensräumen zu vergleichen und zu werten. Im Verlauf von 4 Jahren fiel die Anzahl Arten im Rain stets höher aus als im Feld. Die Anzahl Individuen war im Rain meist geringer. In den Wintermonaten lag im Rain eine höhere Aktivität als im Feld vor. Die Individuen waren im Rain mit Ausnahme des Jahres 1993 gleichmäßiger auf die Arten verteilt. Im Rain konnte im Vergleich zum Feld ein früherer Aktivitätsbeginn festgestellt werden. Sehr deutlich ließen sich Migrationsvorgänge bei A. dorsalis und M. minutulus feststellen. Die Verteilung der Arten und Individuen auf 5 Größenklassen ergab, dass größere Arten und auch Individuen im Feld zahlreicher waren als im Rain. Im Feld kamen überwiegend xerophile Arten vor. Im Rain fielen die Anteile xerophiler und hygrophiler Arten etwas höher aus. Die Zuordnung der Laufkäfer zu den Überwinterungstypen ergab nur geringe Differenzen zwischen Rain und Feld. Im Jahre 1993 wurden der Rain und das angrenzende Gelände stark durch Baumaßnahmen beeinträchtigt, was zu einem erheblichen Artenrückgang führte. Im Folgejahr überstiegen die Artenzahlen sogar die des ersten Untersuchungsjahres. Investigations were lead through in the years 1992 to 1995 at Halle (Saale) on a stand 24 ha in size and on a grassy field margin by using pitfall traps. Aim of the investigations was to record and estimate the ground beetle communities in a large field and a field margin over several years with regard to species spectra, dominance structure, body size classification and faunal exchanges between the habitats. Throughout the 4 years the number of species in the margin was higher than in the field. The number of individuals in the field margin was mostly less than in the field. In the winter period the activity-density in the field margin was higher than in the field. With the exception of 1993 the dominance structures in the field margin were more balanced than in the field. In the field margin the appearance of the ground beetles could be recognized earlier in comparison to the field. The immigration-processes were clearly found by A. dorsalis and M. minutulus . The distribution of the species into five body size-classes showed that large species and individuals are richer in the field than in the field margin. In the field predominant xerophilic species could mostly be found. Regarding the overwintering types the differences were little between the habitats. In the year 1993 the field margin and the adjacent area were damaged through construction works. Therefore the number of species decreased heavily in this year. In the following year the number of species exceeded that of the first year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]