Zgrupowania biegaczowatych (Coleoptera, Carabidae) w trzecim roku regeneracji drzewostanów Puszczy Piskiej zniszczonych przez huragan

The paper presents the results of a three−year research on ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages conducted in the stands of the Piska Primeval Forest damaged by the 2002 hurricane and in control stands. Observations were carried out in the stands categorised into 5 age classes: class I (20−40 years), class II (40−50 years), class III (50−60 years), class IV (60−70 years) and class V (over 70 years). Beetles were caught using modified Barber's traps. The soil CO2 efflux rate and C:N ratio were measured. The Ward cluster analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) clearly distinguished between carabid assemblages in the stands damaged by the hurricane and control stands. In damaged stands there was an increase in the number of Carabidae species with the simultaneous decrease in their abundance. The proportion of forest and European species has been considerably reduced. A marked decline in abundance of hygrophilous species in favour of xerophylous ones was also noted. The observed reduction in the SPC (Sum of Progressive Characteristics) index may indicate the preservation of changes in carabid assemblages and that their regeneration has not yet started.