Environmental Entomology (2019) 48, 1377-1387

Elisabetta Rossi, Daniele Antichi, Augusto Loni, Roberto Canovai, Massimo Sbrana and Marco Mazzoncini (2019)
Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages and slug abundance in agricultural fields under organic and low-input conventional management within a long-term agronomic trial in central Italy
Environmental Entomology 48 (6), 1377-1387
Abstract: Inside a long-term agronomic trial aimed at evaluating the effects of organic and low-input conventional management systems on soil fertility and arable crop production, we selected six fields bordered by hedgerows, three under each management system. Here, we analyzed the carabid assemblages and the slug abundance. Samplings took place in five different periods, across 1 yr of observations. The carabid abundances were similar in organic and conventional fields. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H ') showed a higher value in the conventional fields, although in the organic fields, a higher number of species were observed. The multivariate analysis described similar carabid communities, but excluding the period factor, it showed a significant influence of the management system. There was no difference between the captures of traps placed along the hedgerow and in the middle, whereas in the conventional fields, the hedgerow traps captured a higher number of specimens, showing a role of the hedgerow as carabid reservoir. The slugs were present mainly while green manure was grown on the organic fields where also Poecilus cupreus Linné, 1758 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was captured abundantly.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Elisabetta Rossi, Augusto Loni

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Poecilus cupreus (predator)			Italy