Effects of different field margins on carabid beetles in two different landscapes

In a national evaluation program, the effects of different field margins on the carabid fauna were investigated by using funnel pitfall traps. 109 cultivated and non-cultivated (51 field margins) sites were chosen for a biodiversity evaluation, in which carabids were used as indicators. The data of the first investigation year shows that the abundance and species diversities can greatly varied within the same habitat and beetween the different sites. Certain field margins such as sown wild flower strips can significantly contribute to a richer and more abundant carabid community in arable land. Endangered species of the Red List were in generall rarely found, they mainly occured in non-cultivated habitats and low-input grassland. A multivariate analysis showed that site characteristics such as plant diversity, the type of habitat and on the landscape level the number of different habitats and the share of cultivated land can significantly alter the carabid fauna.