Ground beetle assemblages were monitored at four tallgrass prairie sites in Northeastern Iowa from 1994 to 1998. The objective of this study was to quantify differences in ground beetle assemblages of original and reconstructed tallgrass prairies managed with 3-year burn cycles. Pitfall traps were used to sample the ground beetles from two original and two reconstructed tallgrass prairie sites. More ground beetles were collected from reconstructed than original prairies, although Pielou’s evenness (J’) was higher and Shannon’s diversity index (H’) was significantly greater (P<0.05) in original than reconstructed prairies. Some generalist species of ground beetles, such as Poecilus lucublandus and Agonum fidele were found primarily in original prairies, while the generalists Chlaenius platyderus and Galerita janus were found primarily in reconstructed prairies. NMS ordination and indicator species analysis show differences in carabid species between original and reconstructed prairies.
Species 1: Coleoptera Carabidae Chlaenius platyderus
Species 2: Coleoptera Carabidae Poecilus lucublandus (ground beetle)
Species 3: Coleoptera Carabidae Galerita janus
Keywords: prairies
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