Successional changes occurring in the structure and composition of communities of epigeic fauna in the first three (Coleoptera: Carabidae), or two (Araneae) years after the pine stands fire have been studied since 2013 in the territory of the Moravian Sahara (Bzenec, Czech Republic). 11 permanent research plots were established in order to evaluate the response of epigeic fauna and habitat changes after the fire. These included areas deforested after the fire, pine stands severely affected by the fire (27 years) left to natural successional development and pine stands (94 years) with ongoing salvage cutting. Qualitatively equal stands undisturbed by the fire (29 and 78 years) were simultaneously studied. Pitfall traps were used (5 pcs/area) to determine the state of the epigeic fauna. A total of 90 kinds of Carabid species and 151 spider species were caught and determined. The structure and composition of ground beetle and spider communities in locations disturbed and undisturbed by fire differed throughout the observation period. Ground beetle and spider communities of biotopes undisturbed by the fire showed a stable structure and community composition, while in pine stands disturbed by the fire, a gradual increase in species dominance and diversity of heliophilous and xerophilous groups took place. A significant decline in the species diversity of spiders in pine stands disturbed by fire was recorded between 2013 and 2014. Ground beetle communities showed the opposite trend. Ground beetle and spider communities in the surveyed area demonstrated a sensitive link to a change in the microclimatic conditions of the studied habitats; on the basis of changes in their composition, it was therefore possible to infer changes taking place also in the stands, where the effects of fire were not apparent at first glance.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:431134 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Prágr, Jakub |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | Czech |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
Page generated in 0.0019 seconds