Some effects of soil type and crop density on the activity and abundance of the epigeic fauna, particularly Carabidae, in sugar-beet fields.

Published online
01 Jan 1976
Content type
Journal article
Journal title
Journal of Applied Ecology
DOI
10.2307/2402092

Author(s)
Baker, A. N. & Dunning, R. A.

Publication language
English
Location
UK

Abstract

Pitfall trapping in sugar-beet crops in East Anglia in 1970 and 1971 showed that Carabidae were much more active and abundant than other epigeic predators. Bembidion lampros (Hbst.), Pterostichus (Feronia) melanarius (Ill.), Amara apricaria (Payk.) and Harpalus rufipes (Deg.) were generally the most common species. On the five soil types studied there were differences in species composition, numbers of Carabidae, and especially the numbers of sugar-beet seedling pests. Trap location within the field had slight but mostly insignificant effects on numbers of Carabidae trapped. Density of sugar-beet plants effected differentially the numbers of the most common Carabid species; the smallest numbers of Pterostichus (Feronia) spp., Agonum dorsale (Pontoppidan) and the Cryptophagid Atomaria linearis Steph., but the largest numbers of Bembidion spp. were trapped on bare soil.

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