Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities and microhabitat diversity in a mountain village house yard – a case study from the Western Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria

This study explores the ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity from an uncultivated house yard in a mountain hamlet Western Rhodope Mountains southern Bulgaria. The sampling site was located at altitude of 1340 m. A total 2512 carabid specimens 76 species were collected with only six pitfall traps between May 2016 and April 2021. They belong to 31 genera, 13 tribes, 21 zoogeographical categories 15 life forms. Two (Olisthopus rotundatus Ophonus brevicollis) are new for Mountains. findings reveal highest records two (Ophonus brevicollis Philorhizus notatus). Along typical montane forest fauna, many ecotone open habitat found. Nevertheless, forms wing morphology structure indicate stable environment comparison other regions Furthermore, this research demonstrates that even small natural patches can keep remarkable diversity. Over five-year period, fauna studied experienced some, both qualitative quantitative, impoverishment, indicating some ecological “exhaustion”.