Changes to carabid assemblages following habitat reconstruction in northeastern Iowa

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages in riparian areas along Waterloo Creek in extreme Northeastern Iowa have been monitored as the land has been converted from corn fields and old-field grass areas to reconstructed native tallgrass prairie. In former corn fields, species richness ranged from a low of 8 species before reconstruction began, to a high of 47 species during the initial establishment phase of the prairie planting, and has stabilized at approximately 30 species, accompanying a major shift in species composition. In old-field grass areas, species richness also increased, but only from 13 species to 19 species. Implications of plant community diversity on carabid assemblage diversity will be discussed.