Abundance and composition of Geotrupidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in the developmental cycle of pine stands in Człuchów Forest (NW Poland)

The study aimed at discovering the changes in abundance and composition of Geotrupidae communities in the developmental cycle of pine stands. Beetles were collected with the aid of bait traps in Człuchów Forest (Polish: Lasy Człuchowskie) in the years 1998-1999. In total, 69389 specimens were collected, representing 5 species. The obtained results showed that the structure of Geotrupidae communities in pine stands changed in the course of forest developmental cycle. Brownfields adjoining to forests, clear-cut areas and forest plantations were inhabited by heliophilous communities of Geotrupidae typical of pine forests, with Trypocopris vernalis (Linnaeus, 1758) as a superdominant. Thicket, pole timber and mature stands were inhabited by umbrophilous Geotrupidae typical of forests, with Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Scriba, 1791) as a superdominant. The abundance of Geotrupidae communities grew as the pine stands matured, increasing from the stage of forest plantations until the pole timber stage, and then decreasing again in mature stands.