Coleoptera: Silphidae)
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applied sciences Article Effect of Granulometric Composition of the Soil on the Occurrence of Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) Karolina Konieczna 1,*, Zbigniew W. Czerniakowski 1 and Małgorzata Szostek 2 1 Department of Agroecology and Forest Utilization, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Cwikli´nskiej1,´ 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland; [email protected] 2 Department of Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry and Hydrology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza 8B, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: The entomological material was collected in the years 2009–2012 and 2014 from 13 different habitat types from three localities in south-eastern Poland. In total, 11,095 Silphidae were collected. This study examined whether the percentage of individual soil granulometric fractions was signif- icantly related to the total abundance of collected Silphidae and individual carrion beetle species. A positive correlation and a statistically significant correlation were found between the total number of specimens collected and the share of the mechanical fraction with a diameter of 0.05–0.002 mm (silt fraction). In three species, a statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between the number of collected Silphidae and the share of the mechanical fraction with a diameter of 2–0.05 mm (sand fraction). The two species Phosphuga atrata atrata and Nicrophorus vespilloides the correlation was positive. A statistically significant relationship was also observed for Thanatophilus sinuatus, but the correlation was negative. With regard to the mechanical fraction with a diameter <0.002 mm (clay fraction), a statistically significant relationship was demonstrated for Oiceoptoma thoracicum and for Nicrophorus vespilloides for which the correlation was negative. However, a positive correlation was found for T. sinuatus in this case. Citation: Konieczna, K.; Czerniakowski, Z.W.; Szostek, M. Keywords: Silphidae; carrion beetles; soil; granulometric composition; correlation Effect of Granulometric Composition of the Soil on the Occurrence of Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1017. https:// 1. Introduction doi.org/10.3390/app11031017 Taxa of epigeic insects belonging to the carrion beetle family (Coleoptera: Silphidae) are associated with the presence of carrion [1–3], which constitutes a valuable but unstable Received: 10 December 2020 source of nutrients for them. Carrion is usually subjected to rapid changes under the Accepted: 19 January 2021 Published: 23 January 2021 influence of biotic (scavenger animals, bacteria, and fungi) and abiotic (e.g., temperature and humidity) factors. Therefore, rapid burying of carcasses by carrion beetles reduces Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral potential competitors [4,5] and preserves food. with regard to jurisdictional claims in Soil granulometric composition is an important parameter of the soil of the habitat published maps and institutional affil- and is a key factor regulate soil physical properties. Content of sand, silt, and clay fraction iations. regulate water movement, bulk density, porosity, plasticity, etc. For example, smaller particles (clays) having higher specific surface area than sand particles. These surfaces hold water through adhesion, exchange nutrients, and provide surfaces to which organic matter can attach. Sandy soils (>90% sand) have low specific surface area, resulting in large pores and high infiltration rates, whereas clay soils (>60% clay) have high specific surface area, Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. resulting in small pores and low infiltration rates [6]. This factors can extremely affected This article is an open access article occurrence of carrion beetles [7–9]. distributed under the terms and As demonstrated by Muths [7], the rate of carcass burying is influenced by many conditions of the Creative Commons factors of which soil structure and moisture are of particular importance. For the occur- Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// rence and reproductive success of insects belonging to the subfamily Nicrophorinae, the creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ physical properties of the soil appear to be of particular importance, especially for small 4.0/). species [1,8–10]. These species tend to prefer loose, moist soils rich in organic matter that Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1017. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11031017 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1017 2 of 13 are easier to penetrate. In such soils it is possible to bury carrion quickly and effectively. If the soil is too dense, insects cannot penetrate it. However, it need attention that soil that is too loose may not maintain the form of a hole (brood chamber—in the case of Nicrophorinae), leading to its burial and suffocation [11]. In turn, larger species prefer open areas where the soil is drier and sandier [8]. These relationships prompted us to undertake a closer examination of the relationship between the number of collected Silphidae (Silphinae and Nicrophorinae) and the physical parameters of the soil, in particular the percentage of soil mechanical fractions. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Research Area The study was carried out in various habitats of south-eastern Poland in 2009–2012 and 2014. The sites were located in Borek Stary (UTM EA73), Rzeszów (UTM EA74) and Widna Góra (UTM FA13/FA23) on 13 research localities (Table1; Figure1). Table 1. Geographical characteristics, habitats, years of investigations, and numbers of samples at study area. Locality Geographical Habitat Study Site Years Number of Samples * [UTM] Coordinates Borek Stary 49◦5604900 N mid-field balk a No. 1 2009/2010 44/48 [EA 73] 22◦60800 E Borek Stary 49◦5604200 N mid-field tree stand I No. 2 2009/2010 44/48 [EA 73] 22◦602000 E Borek Stary 49◦5605400 N mid-field tree stand II No. 3 2009/2010 44/48 [EA 73] 22◦604500 E Rzeszów 49◦5905900 N osier plantation No. 4 2011/2012 44/44 [EA 74] 22◦103500 E Rzeszów 49◦59056 N cluster of trees and shrubs No. 5 2011/2012 44/44 [EA 74] 22◦104300 E Rzeszów 50◦00900 N urban park No. 6 2011/2012 44/44 [EA 74] 22◦105300 E Widna Góra 49◦5902900 N mid-field balk b No. 7 2014 48 [FA13] 22◦4002500 E Widna Góra 49◦5903500 N mid-field balk c No. 8 2014 48 [FA23] 22◦4002900 E Widna Góra 49◦5903500 N mid-field balk d No. 9 2014 48 [FA23] 22◦4003000 E Widna Góra 49◦5902900 N potato crop No. 10 2014 48 [FA13] 22◦4002400 E Widna Góra 49◦5903500 N fodder beet crop No. 11 2014 48 [FA23] 22◦4002800 E Widna Góra 49◦5903500 N cereal crop No. 12 2014 48 [FA23] 22◦4003000 E Widna Góra 49◦5903600 N backyard orchard No. 13 2014 48 [FA23] 22◦4002800 E a—mid-field balk between cereal crop and pasture, b—mid-field balk between potato crop and meadow, c—mid-field balk between fodder beet crop and cereal crop, d—mid-field balk between cereal crop and meadow, *—one sample constituted the content of one pitfall trap at one study site. Appl.Appl. Sci.Sci. 2021, 1111, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 13 2021, , 1017 3 of 13 FigureFigure 1.1.Location Location of researchof research stands stands (Own work(Own out work based out on https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/ based on https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/com- Podkarpackie_mapa_fizyczna.pngmons/6/6e/Podkarpackie_mapa_fizyczna.png).). The research sites sites were were located located in in Borek Borek Stary Stary covered covered habitats habitats in areas in areas used used for forag- agriculturericulture but but excluded excluded from from direct direct management management (wasteland). (wasteland). There There were were two two types types of ofmid mid-field-field trees trees (site (sitess 2 and 2 and 3) and 3) and mid mid-field-field balks balks (an (anunplowed unplowed strip) strip) separating separating the cul- the cultivationtivation of a of mixture a mixture of cereals of cereals and and pasture pasture (site (site 1). 1). InIn RzeszRzeszów,ów, carrioncarrion beetlesbeetles werewere collectedcollected atat threethree sites.sites. InIn suburbansuburban areas,areas, i.e.,i.e., inin anan area withwith aa greatergreater degreedegree ofof urbanization,urbanization, thethe selectedselected researchresearch sitessites includedincluded woodedwooded sites:sites: Salix viminalis osier plantation (site(site 4),4), aa cluster ofof trees andand shrubsshrubs (site(site 5),5), andand aa citycity parkpark (site(site 6).6). The researchresearch sites sites in in Widna Widna G óGóra,ra, like like in Borekin Borek Stary, Stary, were were located located in agricultural in agricultural areas. However,areas. However, these sites these were sites used were economically used economically and included: and included: a potato a Solanumpotato Solanum tuberosum tu- cultivationberosum cultivation (site 10), (site the cultivation 10), the cultivation of Beta vulgaris of Beta, semi-sugarvulgaris, semi type-sugar of fodder type of beet; fodder Zentaur beet; PolyZentaur variety Poly (site variety 11), Avena(site 11), sativa Avena, Hordeum sativa, vulgareHordeum, Triticum vulgare aestivum, Triticumcultivated aestivum forcultivated forage (sitefor forage 12), and (site a backyard12), and a orchardbackyard (site orchard 13). Additionally, (site 13). Additionally, the study coveredthe study the covered mid-field the balksmid-field adjacent balks to adjacent the above-mentioned to the above-mentioned crops (site crops 7, 8, and (site 9). 7, 8, and 9). 2.2. Analysis of Soil Granulometric Composition 2.2. Analysis of Soil Granulometric Composition Soil samples were collected at all test sites and air dried after been brought to lab- Soil samples were collected at all test sites and air dried after been brought to labor- oratory in room temperatures (21 ◦C) by 2 weeks. The granulometric composition was atory in room temperatures (21 °C) by 2 weeks. The granulometric composition was ana- analyzed using the hydrometer method [12,13]. The division of soils into granulomet- lyzed using the hydrometer method [12,13].