Habitat associations and seasonal activity of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Dongling Mountain, North China

Habitat distribution and seasonal occurrence of carabid beetles were determined using pitfall traps in 1999 and 2000 in the temperate forest zone of the Dongling Mountain, North China. Eight sites differing in vegetation and moisture were selected so as to represent four habitat types. Carabid assemblages of the six forested habitats (lowland, upland and coppice) were more similar to each other than to the two shrub assemblages. Lowland forest had the highest species richness, and coppice forest had the highest diversity (H’) and equitability (J). Of the 41 species caught, the 18 most abundant species were divided into four distribution types: habitat generalists, forest generalists, forest specialists, and shrub (or coppice) specialists. Mean catches of all beetles showed clear peaks from May to August in nearly all habitats. The catches of the six most abundant species were more or less positively correlated during the two study years, suggesting their similar habitat preferences.