Assemblages of beetles (Coleoptera) in a peatbog and surrounding pine forest

Assemblages of beetles of an open raised bog, a pine bog and surrounding dry pine forest were studied in the Čepkeliai State Strict Nature Reserve (southern Lithuania) in 1999. The research was carried out by the means of pitfall traps. A total of 80 species of beetles (Coleoptera) was registered. Of these, 33 species (565 specimens) were registered in the open bog, 41 species (450 specimens) in the pine bog, and 42 species (946 specimens) in the dry pine forest. The results revealed that pine bog and open bog had the most similar assemblages of beetles (P=64.8). The similarity between pine forest and pine bog was lower (P=8.7), while the lowest similarity was registered between pine forest and open bog (P=5.4). The results showed that the number of species registered in the studied habitats was quite similar, while the number of individuals was twice bigger in the pine forest in comparison to the pine bog or open bog's site. Agonum ericeti and Drusilla canaliculata were the most abundant species making up 67% of all individuals registered at the open bog's site and 50% in the pine bog, while Carabus arcensis was the most abundant in the pine forest (60%).