Search

Copyright of Journal of Central European Agriculture is the property of Journal of Central European Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Silver fir (Abies alba, Mill.) is threatened by many factors in Central Europe, among which bark beetles of the genus Pityokteines play an important role. To improve the silver fir conservation, it is essential to adopt appropriate management practices. For this reason, we studied the occurrence of Pityokteines bark beetles in four sites located in climatically different conditions. In each site, five WitaTrap 5-segment pheromone funnel traps were placed from early April to late September in both 2021 and 2022. Two species, P. spinidens and P. vorontzowi, were captured. P. vorontzowi was significantly more abundant at all sites. Individuals of both species were recorded in the traps mainly in the period of April–August. The most abundant occurrence of beetles was at the site Nižbor, which can be explained by regional climatic differences (lowest elevation, higher mean temperatures and lower mean precipitation). The differences between sites can be also explained by different methods of forest protection applied. The study confirmed the presence of Pityokteines bark beetles and their dependence on climatic characteristics and forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is meant for a wider educational and scientific public. It reflects the results of our monitoring of the zoological literacy of students at selected grammar schools in the Prešov region. (We assume that analogous or very similar results would also be found in other regions of Slovakia.) This monitoring was conducted in 2013 by a test. The test was taken by 318 students, including 151 fourth-grade students and 167 third-grade students(111 boys and 207 girls). The test consisted of 16 theoretical and 22 practical questions. The task of the practical part of the test was to identify 22 species of known and easily identifiable animals, including 9 protected species. From a knowledge perspective, the results of the test were very dis- appointing. The correct answers in the theoretical part of the test was at 31%, less than one third. The results of the practical part of the test were even worse: 28.8%, and after excluding three rather simple species (the broad-bodied chaser, the fire salamander, and the Eurasian otter), only 18.75%. The results of the monitoring indicate the sad fact that contemporary youth know almost nothing about the natural world. An appalling fact is that only one student (0.3%) was able to identify the clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), despite its being a protected species of European importance! This highly unfavorable state of affairs (approaching zoological illiteracy) is a consequence of the sterile, verbal-and-theoretical model of biology education. Unfortunately, the teaching of the subject is missing the very topic which is “the most biological”: individual plant and animal species and their higher taxa (and as a note: the huge kingdom of fungi is almost completely over-looked). The rapid decline of zoological (and, in general, biological) literacy has a dire effect and especially will have such effect in the more distant future. The number of people in Slovakia that are able to determine knowledgeably individual species of organisms (including plants, fungi, vertebrates, mollusks, spiders, beetles, and bugs) is constantly decreasing. If this trend continues for another 20 years, studies of flora and fauna in Slovakia will be carried out by foreign specialists, as is the case in the Third World. Unfortunately, it seems that this development will benefit some. When we know little about the flora and fauna of the various regions and sites of Slovakia, it might be exploited even more and “without remorse“. The fundamental problem is how to change this unsustainable situation. The answer is crystal clear. In order to achieve a gradual, and at least partial, improvement, a comprehensive and fundamental revision of the model of teaching biology in primary schools and especially grammar schools is necessary; including, of course, the curricula and textbooks. There is an urgent need to start a public discussion on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bystřice pod Hostýnem (eastern Moravia, Czech Republic) and its surroundigs is in- teresting and poorly explored region from entomological point of view. The following article presents over 200 selected species of beetles (Coleoptera) found during the years 2006–2021 in 4 faunal grids (6571, 6572, 6671 and 6672). Over 50 of recorded species belongs to Red List of Threatened Species of the Czech Republic, many of them previously unknown from these area/ region. The most remarkable records include Magdalis caucasica, which becomes new species for Moravia region. Another rare and endangered species such as Ampedus tristis, Calosoma syco- phanta, Leptura aurulenta, Osmoderma barnabita, Rosalia alpina (possible introduction), Protaetia speciosissima, Siagonium humerale, Trichoferus pallidus were recorded. Main purpose of this work is to contribute to the knowledge of beetle fauna of this overlooked but valuable natural region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first comprehensive survey of the ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from the Váté písky National Natural Monument, including the banks of the Morava River (the Osypané břehy Natural Monument), the adjacent floodplain forest, the surrounding pine forests on the sands and the sand quarry area of Bzenec-Přívoz. The whole area is part of the Strážnické Pomoraví Nature Park. 242 species of ground beetles were documented in the studied area, which represents about 40 % of all species known from all over the Czech Republic. Of this amount, 37 species figure in the Red List of threatened species of invertebrates of the Czech Republic (Hejda et al. 2017). For the species Cymindis macularis (Fischer von Waldheim, 1824), the monitored area is currently the only known locality where this beetle occurs throughout the Czech Republic. The Bzenec-Přívoz sand quarry is the only locality of the species Dyschiriodes ben- edikti (Bulirsch, 1995) in the Czech Republic with the last record in 2000 and Miscodera arctica (Paykull, 1798) has so far been proven in Moravia only in pine forests near the villages of Bzenec- Přívoz and Vacenovice. The studied habitats in the surroundings of the village of Bzenec-Přívoz are zoologically and botanically very valuable areas, which would undoubtedly deserve a higher degree of protection than the currently classification (Natural Monument, respectively National Natural Monument). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First faunistic records of critically endangered meloid beetle Meloe uralensis in Central Moravia (Czech Republic) and notes on its biology and conservation are presented. Discovered locality Němčice nad Hanou is northernmost occupied place in the Czech Republic. During three years, 24 adults were observed. They were active from mid- March to the end of April under sunny conditions with temperature 13-24 °C. Most of adults were observed in margin of fields (running or eating cereals in most cases, less frequently sunning on higher vegetation). Several potential hosts (bees) were observed: Andrena flavipes, A. subopaca, Colletes cunicularius, Lasioglossum lin- eare, L. malachurum and L. morio. Discovered locality represents unique island of heterogeneous mosaic of diversely managed landscape in region with prevailing uniform arable land. The mosaic consists of small-size patches (less than 1 ha) of extensive fields, orchards, gardens etc. Besides M. uralensis, sympatric occurrence of several threatened species bound to steppe or forest steppe- habitats underlines high biological value of the locality. Therefore, maintenance of current exten- sive management seems to be appropriate conservation measure for M. uralensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faunistics records of beetles (Coleoptera) from the Walachia region (eastern Moravia, Czech Republic) are presented. The most of the published records comes from the last 30 years. A total of 721 species of beetles from 72 families are listed. Of these, 1 species is considered regionally extinct, 7 species are critically endangered, 29 species are classified as endangered, 30 species are assessed as vulnerable and 46 belong to near threatened category in the Red List of Invertebrates of the Czech Republic. In total, 108 species are included in the Red List of Invertebrates. Of the weevils (Curculionidae) and ground beetles (Carabidae), 9 species are classified as relict species. I consider the most important of these species for the region following: Ceruchus chrysomelinus (Lucanidae), Dryops vienensis (Dryopidae), Hydrocyphon deflexicollis (Scirtidae), Lacon lepidopter- us (Elateridae), Lopheros rubens (Lycidae), Melanophila acuminata (Buprestidae), Mycetoma sutu- rale (Tetratomidae), Orchesia blandula (Melandryidae), Sphaeroderma rubidum (Chrysomelidae), Xestobium austriacum (Ptinidae) and two historical records on the findings of Meloe autumnalis autumnalis and Meloe brevicollis brevicollis (Meloidae) from 1954 and 1948. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variations in ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages across the three types of farmland habitats, arable land, meadows and woody vegetation were studied in relation to vegetation cover structure, intensity of agrotechnical interventions and selected soil properties. Material was pitfall trapped in 2010 and 2011 on twelve sites of the agricultural landscape in the Prešov town and its near vicinity, Eastern Slovakia. A total of 14,763 ground beetle individuals were entrapped. Material collection resulted into 92 Carabidae species, with the following six species dominating: Poecilus cupreus, Pterostichus melanarius, Pseudoophonus rufipes, Brachinus crepitans, Anchomenus dorsalis and Poecilus versicolor. Studied habitats differed significantly in the number of entrapped individuals, activity abundance as well as representation of the carabids according to their habitat preferences and ability to fly. However, no significant distinction was observed in the diversity, evenness neither dominance. The most significant environmental variables affecting Carabidae assemblages species variability were soil moisture and herb layer 0-20 cm. Another best variables selected by the forward selection were intensity of agrotechnical interventions, humus content and shrub vegetation. The other from selected soil properties seem to have just secondary meaning for the adult carabids. Environmental variables have the strongest effect on the habitat specialists, whereas ground beetles without special requirements to the habitat quality seem to be affected by the studied environmental variables just little.

Th e research deals with the description of basic characteristics of stand structure and regeneration processes according to affecting factors. Characteristics are described before and aft er large-scale bark beetle outbreak in the high mountain spruce forest of the National Nature Reserve (NNR) Kotlov žľab. In 1968, a series of three permanent research plots (PRP) with the size of 0.50 ha was established at an altitude of 1400– 1500 m. Measurements of the stand structure and regeneration processes were carried out in 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2019. Before the largescale disturbance, the high mountain spruce forest was little differentiated and was dominated by single tree layer with stagnant regeneration. Th e development in PRP 3, which had initially the lowest number of trees, the highest variability of tree diameters and was located at the lowest altitude, responded best to the effect of disturbance. However, taking into account the forest development aft er disturbance, we can state that in 2019 there was a sufficient amount of advanced spruce regeneration in all PRPs, which will ensure that development does not take place through early successional stages. In the initial stage of the forest development, rowan could be expected to fill openings among remaining spruce trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of saproxylic beetles has become a frequently used as a bioindicator of forest biodiversity. These beetles, especially endangered species, testify very credibly to the preservation of the forest ecosystem. Intensive forest management reduces biodiversity mainly due to the absence of dead wood. Dead wood is also a very important element for the circulation of nutrients and water, and oft en creates a suitable substrate for the tree regeneration. In this paper, 159 publications dealing with forest biodiversity were analysed. In commercial forests with a full stand canopy and no dead wood, the environment is almost uninhabitable for saproxylic beetles. Th e main factors that affect the biodiversity of saproxylic beetles are: (1) sun exposure and canopy closure, as the elements that increase or decrease the temperature, and (2) dead wood of all dimensions. Dead wood of large dimensions is not present in the production forests, and therefore the associated species are mostly endangered. Standing snags and large trees are the largest hosts of microhabitats. Intensive forest management significantly reduces all these attributes, and therefore results in lower biodiversity of saproxyls than in the forest reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Th e aim of this work was to assess the eff ect of stand age and type of forest management on the species richness and abundance of spiders, ground beetles, centipedes, millipedes and woodlice. Th e arthropods were sampled in four treatments – clearings, young, middle-aged and old forest stands. Th e eff ect of management was evaluated for clearings and old forest stands. Clearings and older stands hosted the highest species richness for most of the studied groups of arthropods. On the contrary, the lowest species richness was found mainly in young stands. Our results emphasized the high importance of uneven-aged silviculture. Most species were found in clearings without mechanical soil preparation. Th erefore, mechanical soil preparation is not suitable for the studied groups of arthropods. Responses to the management of the old stands varied for diff erent arthropod groups. It is necessary to limit the large-area milling of clearings and maintain continuity of both commercial and non-interventional old forest stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic beetles in the beetle family Dytiscidae are known as "predaceous diving beetles". They all have a smooth, oval shape with strong, paddle-like hind legs that propel them easily in water. A large bubble of air under the beetle wing covers (elytra) allows them to suck in a bubble of air from the water surface, as well as breathe underwater for long periods of time without coming to the surface. A total of 127 species of the family Dytiscidae are currently reported as being in the Czech Republic. A suitable species for breeding in an aquarium is the Great Diving Beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) (see Fig.11). A voracious predator, this beetle hunts a wide variety of prey including small fish. Interestingly, it is very easy to distinguish between the sexes of Dytiscus marginalis as females have parallel grooves running down their elytra (back or top surface), see Fig. 11, whereas males have smooth elytra. But this characteristic is not 100% reliable, because females sometimes also have smooth elytra. A reliable distinction is made by the conspicuous sucking discs at the end of the first pair of legs (see Fig. 4). The aquarium equipment should be as follows: water to a depth of 20 cm or greater, ideally closer to room temperature. Underwater surfaces for the beetles to rest on, such as plants, rocks, or twigs. A cover on the top is very important (the beetles can fly). A piece of floating wood will do, or a rock that reaches above the water. No water filtration or aeration equipment is necessary. Both adults and larvae (see Fig. 7) are voracious predators feeding on anything in their reach, including larval fish. The healthiest and most entertaining foods for diving beetles are fresh invertebrates, meal worms, earth worms; small pieces of lean meat can also be used. Diving beetles can attack fish (sick and injured ones especially) even if they are larger, and eat them. Diving beetles also have a fascinating defense mechanism: they secrete toxic substances that can make vertebrates, such as fish, sick if both are kept in a shared environment. Eggs are laid in or on vegetation beneath the water surface, or on other objects below or just above the surface. The larvae develop over a period of a few to several weeks, then leave the aquatic habitat to pupate in cells (see Fig. 8) that they construct in the soil of protected areas nearby (an aqua-terrarium must be provided for the successful pupation of larvae). The pupal stage (see Fig. 9) lasts 5-14 days, after which the adult emerges and usually re-enters the aquatic habitat. Some experiments on, and observations of, larvae and adult predaceous diving beetles in an aquarium, inspired by cited literature sources, are presented in this contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increase in damage caused by biotic agents in the forests of Central Europe. One of the choices for protecting forests against insect pests is the ability to use the biological protection of the birds of family Picidae. They are able to effectively control pests and indirectly promote the occurrence of another beneficial animal species. We dealt with three species with different habitat requirements: three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) and the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major). In general, they can halve the amount of the pest population. The three-toed woodpecker feeds mainly on bark beetles and longhorn beetles. It needs a large amount of dead wood, which almost excludes its presence in production forests. Other species do not have so many environmental demands. The black woodpecker is tied to larger forest complexes, including production forests. The great spotted woodpecker is able to colonise even small fragments of forests. Economic loss caused by nest holes excavating and hunting of wood boring insect are negligible. Holes have a small volume and are mostly created in already damaged wood. The presence of woodpeckers in production forests is desirable, and it should be encouraged by keeping enough amount of dead and cavity trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to evaluate the development of production characteristics and healThstatus of young spruce stand in the area of the Nízký Jeseník Mts. (Czech Republic). Research was conducted in the period 2016-2018 on 12 sub-plots established in the spruce stand at the age of 19 years. Diameter and height increments and derived production characteristics were monitored along wiThdefoliation, biotic damage and mortality rates. In addition, a prediction of stand development was carried out using a linear regression model. Between 2016 and 2018, the decrease of the stand basal area was recorded from 24.7 to 24.1 m2/ha. Annual diameter increments slowed down from 0.5 cm to 0.4 cm and height increments from 0.59 to 0.24 m. Volume increments decreased from 6.86 to 3.12 m3/ha. Cumulative mortality reached 24.1% in 2018, which means an increase of 13.9% compared to 2015. Defoliation increased from 25.8% in 2016 to 30.5% in 2018. The terminal mortality factor causing the current dieback of mature spruce stands in the Northern Moravia is bark beetle (Ips sp.). In the case of younger stands, decline can occur as a result of the effect of phytopathogens, especially Armillaria sp. that fundamentally affects the functionality of the root system and disturbs an uptake of water and nutrients. This effect is currently intensified by drought episodes. Changes in the tree species composition aimed at increase of the proportion of improving and stabilizing tree species in combination wiThchemical amelioration are a way to preserve the production function of the forest on sites currently severely damaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in oilseed rape field can be an important indicator of different agricultural measures in arable land fauna. Surveys about ground beetle fauna in Croatia are generally very scarce and only few research on oilseed rape were conducted. The aim of this study was to determine the endogaeic ground beetle fauna in oilseed rape field and to determine species abundance and frequency. The study was carried out in Podravina region of Croatia, from the end of May till the mid-September in 2015. Ground beetles were collected using endogaeic traps incorporated in the soil. Altogether, 487 individuals classified into 8 species were collected. Species with the highest abundance and frequency was Brachinus (Brachinus) psophia Audinet-Serville, 1821, which was classified as eudominant and constant species. The highest ground beetle abundance was observed in summer period. All of the species found were spring breeders, except for species Trechus (Trechus) quadristriatus (Schrank, 1781) which breeds in autumn.

The Bečva river is the last large gravel-bearing river in the Czech Republic whose water regime is not affected by a dam on its main watercourse. Nevertheless, the construction of the dam on this river near Skalička village is considered. Large gravel bars, floodplain forests and a wide array of wetlands belong to valuable biotopes that occur here. For these reasons, members of the East Moravian Branch of the Czech Entomological Society have begun research on fauna of beetles in this area. The first part of the research was carried out between 2016 and 2018 and 391 species of beetles belonging to 55 families were found in the obtained material. Of these, 64 beetle species figure in the Red-list of invertebrates of the Czech Republic: 6 species belong among critically endangered, 17 species are listed as endangered, 16 species are considered vulnerable and 25 are classified as nearly threatened. From these 12 species of carabid beetles, 3 species of weevils, 5 species of staphylinids as well 4 species of water beetles belong among relicts. In addition, Brachinus crepitans is protected by law and a rich and strong population of the Cucujus cinnaberinus also lives in this site. This species is ranked among species of European conservation concern and therefore the Site of Community Importance and the Hustopeče-Štěrkáč Nature Monument were proclaimed to protect it here. The realisation of the construction of the dam would undoubtedly result in the perishing of these protected areas. The most important findings from the faunistic and conservation aspect are the following species of beetles listed in alpha-bet: Agnathus decoratus, Altica palustris, Altica tamaricis tamaricis, Anogcodes ustulatus, Anthicus schmidti, Augyles sericans, Bembidion ruficolle, Bembidion testaceum testaceum, Betarmon bisbimaculatus, Bidessus delicatulus, Chaetocnema semicoerulea semicoerulea, Chaetophora spinosa, Cryptocephalus frenatus, Drapetes mordelloides, Dryops viennensis, Limnichus sericeus, Lixus myagri, Microon sahlbergi, Neophytobius granatus, Notoxus brachycerus, Ochthebius gibbosus, Ochthebius melanescens, Ochthebius metallescens metallescens, Phaedon laevigatus, Rhizophagus aeneus, Zorochros quadriguttatus and Zorochros meridionalis. The monitored area represents unique locality (or one of the few localities) in Moravia (respectively in the whole Czech Republic) where all these recorded rare species occur together. Based on these results, it can be stated that the area is unique and very significant in the context of the entire Czech Republic. The construction of the dam would lead to the irretrievable destruction of all the valuable biotopes here and the disappearance of the rare species bound to them. At last but not least, due to the hungry water effect, all riparian and aquatic invertebrates living further downstream from the planned dam structure in the Bečva river, would be adversely affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Occurrence and abundance of flea beetle species associated with Amaranthus spp. was studied in Slovakia with the aim to assess their potential as biological control agents. Insects were collected by sweeping/catching at 10 localities three times during the growing season. Together 13 species from the subfamily Alticinae were collected on A. retroflexus L. and A. caudatus L. plants by sweeping net. They were Altica oleracea (L.), Chaetocnema concinna (Marsh.), C. leavicolis Thoms., C. tibialis (Ill.), Longitarsus longipennis Kutsch., L. melanocephalus Deg., L. nasturtii (F)., L. pellucidus Foudras, Phyllotreta atra (F.), P. cruciferae (Goeze), P. nigripes (F.), P. vittula (Redt.) and Psylliodes chrysocephala (L.). C. tibialis contained 41.17- 97.45 percent of all flea beetles population and it was found at all observed localities. It comprised 94.85-99.74 percent of flea beetles on cultivated A. caudatus. Another two Chaetocnema species, C. concinna and C. leavicollis did not overcome more than one percent of C. tibialis population. P. vittula was present at each locality. All the other species occurred on Amaranthus plants were probably concomitant. Species composition of subfamily Alticinae on cultivated species A. caudatus did not differ significantly from those on A. retroflexus.

New data of 24 Malachiidae species as well as 12 Dasytidae species with ecological conditions of adults are referred. Occurrence in Slovakia is reviewed for each species recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper evaluates the structure of Coleoptera, Carabidae on variously managed agricultural land in Očová PD of Podpolanie area during the growing seasons of 2005-2006. Through both growing seasons all together 67 species with 54 376 individuals were gathered. Eudominantly were represented species Poecilus cupreus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pterostychus melanarius (Illiger, 1798), and Pseudoophonus rufipes (De Geer, 1774). The occurrence of Carabidae beetles is directly connected with quite a number of complex relations and it is influenced not only by the agricultural plants structure but also by the quantity of anthropogenic inputs. Species spectrum of Carabidae beetles was very similar on all observed plots. It cannot be exactly defined to what extent the structure of observed beetles was influenced by various forms of land management (conventional schemes and agroschemes). Though, it can be stated that carabid beetles find better conditions for living on neutral soil with a good humus supply as well as with a good content of basic macro- and microelements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]