Bulletin UASVM Agriculture, 67(2)/2010 Print ISSN 1843-5246; Electronic ISSN 1843-5386

Nature 2000 Cusma Site Heteroptera

Paul BELDEAN 1), Marian PROOROCU 1), Ecaterina Sînziana PAULIUC 1)

University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Mănă tur Street, No. 3-5, fax 0264.593.792, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract . The biological material was collected during 2008 and 2009. In the studied area we have revealed a number of 533 Pentatomoidea, belonging to 37 species and 9 families. The majority of species (17) belongs to the Pentatomidae Family. The researches were made within 7 different types of ecosystems: Valea Bârg ăului riverside coppice, Valea Budacu riverside coppice, Budacu spruce, Tăul Zânelor pasture, Piatra Fântânele hayfield, Colibi ţa hayfield, Budacu hayfield. Most species (25) live within Piatra Fântânele hayfield. The most abundant species are polyphagous. Dolycoris baccarum, Carpocoris purpureipennis, Eurygaster testudinaria and Rhopalus parumpunctatus were collected from all 7 types of ecosystems. Keywords : Natura 2000, Cu ma, Heteroptere, biodiversity, species.

INTRODUCTION

Cusma Site has a surface of 44.853 ha and includes the Alpine Bioregion (represented by C ălimani and Bârg ăului Mountains) and the Continental Bioregion (Călimanilor Piedmont, Budacului and Livezile-Bârg ău Depression)(Proorocu, Beldean and Oroian, 2007). The high biodiversity value that caracterises Cusma Site, has been given by its partial superposition over the next nine national protected areas: Valea Repedea, T ăul Zânelor, Bistri ţei Ardelene Canyon, T ătarului Cliffs, Cu mei Rock, Corbului Rock, Green Gluch, Comarnic and the fossil location Big Gluch.Till now, no scientific papers are known to refer to Heteroptera Order within Natura 2000 Cusma Site.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The biological material was hand collected,directly from plants and by shaking the trees and the arbutuses crowns into an umbrella mesh.The biological material was collected during May and August,2008 and 2009. For each sample the data and the sampling point were noted. The samples have been collected from 7 sampling points: 1. Valea Bârg ăului riverside coppice - a mix of trees and arbutuses species (Telekio speciosae- Alnetum incanae ), containing many mesophile and meso-hygrofile species: Alnus incana, Salix sp., Populus sp., Stellaria nemorum, Geranium phaeum, Festuca gigantea, Carex remota, Cirsium oleraceum, Urtica dioica, Trifolium pratense, Vicia sepium, Rubus sp. Valea Budacu riverside coppice – the predominant woody species within this biotops are the willows (Salix alba ), the poplars (Populus nigra ), the black alders (Alnus glutinosa ), the common hazels ( Corylus avellana), the field maples (Acer campestre ) and the birches (Betula pendula ). The grassy layer is well represented and predominantly formed by Mentha longifolia, Trifolium repens, Petasites hybridus, Petasites albus, Urtica dioica and by Mentha longifolia, Trifolium repens, Petasites hybridus, Petasites albus, Urtica dioica , Verbascum, Carex and Juncus species. 2. The spruce forest – found over the southern versant of Budacului Valy. This forest is caracterised by abundant but also by rare sections, where we can see also some beeches

10 individuals (Fagus sylvatica ).Young trees, raspberry bushes (Rubus idaeus ), birches (Betula pendula ) and rowans (Sorbus aucuparia ) can be seen in the glades. 3. Tăul Zânelor pasture (Rumici obtusifoliae-Urticetum dioicae association) - beside Rumex and Urtica, Cirsium, Rubus, Centaurea and Carduusspecies can also be found here. 4. Piatra Fântânele hayfield (Scorzonero roseae – Festucetum nigricantis association ) with: Hypericum maculatum, Arnica montana, Campanula abietina, Campanula serrata, Trifolim pratense, T. medium, Centaurea sp., Vicia sp., Lotus sp. 5. Colibi ţa hayfield: includes grassy coenosis, predominant hygrophil plants, like the next species: Succisa pratensis, Colchicum autumnale, Gymnadenia conopsea, Linum catharticum, Juncus conglomeratus, Cirsium palustre, C. oleraceum, Equisetum palustre, Symphytum officinale, Angelica sylvestris . Here we can also find grassy species like: Trifolifolium pratense, T. medium, Achillea milefolium, Lotus sp., Medicago sp., Vicia sp., Violla sp., Urtica dioica . 6. Budacu hayfield - found over the valy shore, it has a hydrophil caracter. It is generaly formed of Carex, Equisetum, Juncus, Myosotis, Agrostis, Festuca and Rumex species. Also, Lotus, Vicia, Melilotus, Onobrichis, Coronilla, Centaurea, Cirsium and Carduu species can be found here, and, from one place to another, Trifolium pratense and Mentha longifolia species grow also. All species identification has been made in the laboratory, using a stero-microscope and biographical sources (Kis 1984, Kis 2001, Lehr 2001, Schuh and Slater 1995, Southwood and Leston 1959). The identified material has been clasified in suprafamilies, families and species, considering the present taxonomic classification system (Davidova-Vilimova and McPherson 1994 (1995), Kis 1984, Kis, 2001, Schuh and Slater 1995).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Along our study visits within Natura 2000 Cusma Site during 2008 and 2009, we have revealed a number of 533 Pentatomoidea, belonging to 37 species and 9 families (Tab. 1). The highest number of this heretoptera individuals (207) belong to Pentatomidae Family, shortly followed by a number of 199 individuals from Rhopalidae Family. Scutelleridae Family has been caracterised by a number of 50 individuals, Coreidae Family by 35 individuals and Plataspidae Family by 30 individuals. The rest of the families represented by a low number of individuals. Taking account of the species/family number, the situation is pretty much the same, the best represented beeing the Pentatomidae Family (17 species), followed by Rhopalidae Family with 8 species. The distribution of the species number, but also of the individuals number /sampling points (Fig. 1), shows that these insects have a preference for sunny grassy ecosystems, the highest number of species (25) and the highest number of individuals (123) being colected within Piatra Mare Hayfield, that is situated on a sunny versant with well developed grassy vegetation. The situation is pretty much the some in the other two hayfields that have been studied. A number of 23 species has been identified in Budacu hayfield and a number of 21 species in Colibita hayfield. 19 species and 63 individuals have been colected from T ăul Zânelor pasture. Here, the grassy layer is very well developed because of the low grade of exploatation from this area. 19 species have been colected within Budacu Valy and 15 within Bistri ţa Bârg ăului Valy. Both these areas include, beside trees and arbutuses species, also species that caracterise grassy ecosystems. Within the spruce forest that has been studied, the only species caracterised by a high number of individuals (17) was Pentatoma rufipes, an arboreal species that has been found on the isolated beeches ( Fagus sylvatica ).

11 Tab. 1 The taxonomic frame, the number of individuals and the relative abundance of the heteroptera species collected within Natura 2000 Cusma Site (Abreviation: N= number of individuals, Ar= relative abundance) Bârg ăului Budacu Piatra Valy Valy Budacu Tăul Zânelor Colibi ţa Budacu Fântânele Nr. Riverside Riverside Spruce Pasture Hay field Hay field Suprafamily, family, species Hay field crt. coppice coppice N Ar N Ar N Ar N Ar N Ar N Ar N Ar Suprafamily Coreoidea Reuter, 1910 10 13 1 42 61 52 59 Family Coreidae Leach, 1815 1 2 0 5 7 17 3 1 Coreus marginatus (Linné, 1758) 1 2.08 3 4.76 5 4.07 16 14.6 2 Bathysolen nubilus (Fallen, 1807) 2 4.00 1 1.59 1 0.92 Ceraleptus gracilicornis (Herrich-Schäffer, 3 2 1.63 2 1.71 1835) 4 Coriomeris denticulatus (Scopoli, 1763) 1 1.59 1 0.85 Family Alydidae Stål, 1872 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 5 Alydus calcaratus (Linné, 1758) 1 0.81 2 1.83 Family Rhopalidae Amyot et Serville, 1843 8 11 1 37 53 33 56 6 Corizus hyoscyami (Linne, 1758) 1 2.00 3 2.75 1 0.85 7 Rhopalus parumpunctatus Schilling, 1829 2 4.17 5 10.0 1 4.35 9 14.3 4 3.25 2 1.83 12 10.2 8 Rhopalus conspersus (Fieber, 1837) 1 2.00 3 4.76 1 0.81 7 6.42 4 3.42 9 Rhopalus subrufus (Gmelin, 1790) 1 1.59 5 4.07 6 5.50 4 3.42 10 Rhopalus maculatus (Fieber, 1837) 3 2.44 7 6.42 9 7.69 11 Stictopleurus punctatonervosus (Goeze, 1778) 3 6.00 8 12.7 1 0.81 1 0.92 12 Stictopleurus crassicornis (Linné, 1758) 1 2.08 1 2.00 6 9.52 15 12.2 1 0.92 9 7.69 13 Stictopleurus abutilon (Rossi, 1790) 5 10.4 10 15.9 24 19.5 6 5.50 17 14.5 Family Stenocephalidae Dallas, 1852 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Dicranocephalus agilis (Scopoli, 1763) 1 2.08 Suprafamily Pentatomoidea Reuter 1910 38 37 22 21 62 57 58 Family Plataspidae Dallas, 1851 0 4 0 7 0 16 3 15 Coptosoma scutellatum (Geoffroy, 1785) 4 8.00 7 11.1 16 14.6 3 2.56 Family Cydnidae Billberg, 1820 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 16 Adomerus biguttatus (Linné, 1758) 1 0.81 Family Scutelleridae Leach, 1815 12 8 1 2 8 7 12 17 Eurygaster austriaca (Schrank, 1776) 1 1.59 3 2.44

12 18 Eurygaster maura (Linné, 1758) 5 10.4 3 6.00 5 4.59 8 6.84 19 Eurygaster testudinaria (Geoffroy, 1785) 7 14.5 5 10.0 1 4.35 1 1.59 5 4.07 2 1.83 4 3.42 Family Pentatomidae Leach, 1815 20 24 21 12 53 34 43 20 Graphosoma lineatum (Linné, 1758) 3 6.00 1 0.81 7 6.42 4 3.42 21 Sciocoris microphthalmus Flor, 1860 17 13.8 22 Aelia acuminata (Linné, 1758) 2 4.17 2 4.00 3 2.75 1 0.85 23 Neottiglossa pusilla (Gmelin, 1789) 1 0.81 24 Eusarcoris fabricii Kirkaldy, 1904 1 2.08 1 0.81 25 Eusarcoris aeneus (Scopoli, 1763) 2 4.17 2 1.63 2 1.71 26 Holcostethus vernalis (Wolff, 1904) 3 6.00 1 1.59 1 0.81 1 0.85 27 Carpocoris purpureipennis (De Geer 1773) 6 12.5 4 8.00 2 8.7 4 6.35 6 4.88 9 8.26 3 2.56 28 Carpocoris pudicus (Poda, 1761) 2 4.00 1 1.59 1 0.81 2 1.83 1 0.85 29 Dolycoris baccarum (Linné, 1758) 1 2.08 4 8.00 2 8.7 1 1.59 12 9.76 6 5.50 3 2.56 30 Palomena prasina (Linné, 1761) 2 3.17 7 5.98 31 Piezodorus lituratus (Fabricius, 1794) 1 2.00 4 3.25 3 2.56 32 Pentatoma rufipes (Linné, 1758) 3 6.25 17 73.9 33 Eurydema dominulus (Scopoli, 1763) 4 3.25 1 0.85 34 Eurydema oleraceum (Linné, 1758) 5 10.4 3 6.00 1 1.59 3 2.44 6 5.50 17 14.5 35 Rhacognathus punctatus (Linne, 1758) 2 3.17 36 Zicrona coerulea (Linne, 1758) 2 4.00 1 0.92 Family Acanthosomidae 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 37 Elasmucha betulae (De Geer, 1773) 6 12.5 1 2.00 Total number of individuals 48 50 23 63 123 109 117 Total number of species 15 19 5 19 25 21 23

13 Total number of individuals Total number of species

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0 Riverside Riverside Spruce Budacu Pasture T ăul Hay field Piatra Hay field Hay field coppice Valea coppice Valea Zânelor Fântânele Colibi ţa Budacu Bârg ăului Budacu Sampling points

Fig. 1. The distribution of the species number and the number of individuals/sampling points

Analysing the relative abundance of the heteroptera species within Natura 2000 Cusma Site (Tab. 1), we can see that the most predominat are the polyphagous species, the best represented within each sampling point being:
Riverside coppice on Bistri ţa Bârg ăului Valy: Eurygaster testudinaria (14,58%), Carpocoris purpureipennis (12,5%), Elasmucha betulae (12,5%);
Riverside coppice on Budacu Valy: Rhopalus parumpunctatus (10%), Eurygaster testudinaria (10%);
The spruce forest: Pentatoma rufipes (73,9%);
Tăul Zânelor Pasture: Stictopleurus abutilon (15,87%), Rhopalus parumpunctatus (14,29);
Piatra Fântânele Hayfield: Stictopleurus abutilon (19,51%), Sciocoris microphthalmus (13,82%);
Colibi ţa Hayfield: Coreus marginatus (14,68%), Coptosoma scutellatum (14,68%);
Budacu Hayfield: Stictopleurus abutilon (14,53%), Eurydema oleraceum (14,53%). Of all 37 identified species, Dolycoris baccarum, Carpocoris purpureipennis, Eurygaster testudinaria and Rhopalus parumpunctatus have been collected within all 7 studied ecosystems and Eurydema oleraceum and Stictopleurus crassicornis have been collected within 6 ecosystems. Three species have been collected within 5 ecosystems and 5 species have been collected within only one ecosystem (Fig. 2). We can observe the preference of some species for some particular ecosystems, while other species have a high ecological plasticity. That’s way some species have been collected within all 7 studied ecosystems, while other species have been found within only one type of ecosystem ( Pentatoma rufipes - has been collected within riverside coppices and forests, being an arboreal species, Palomena prasina - has been collected within pastures and hayfields, being caracteristic for this type of ecosystems).

14 Elasmucha betulae Zicrona coerulea Rhacognathus punctatus

Eurydema oleraceum Eurydema dominulus

Pentatoma rufipes Piezodorus lituratus

Palomena prasina Dolycoris baccarum

Carpocoris pudicus Carpocoris purpureipennis Holcostethus vernalis

Eusarcoris aeneus Eusarcoris fabricii Neottiglossa pusilla

Aelia acuminata

Sciocoris microphthalmus Graphosoma lineatum Eurygaster testudinaria

Eurygaster maura Eurygaster austriaca

Adomerus biguttatus Coptosoma scutellatum Dicranocephalus agilis

Stictopleurus abutilon

Stictopleurus crassicornis Stictopleurus punctatonervosus Rhopalus maculatus

Rhopalus subrufus Rhopalus conspersus

Rhopalus parumpunctatus Corizus hyoscyami

Alydus calcaratus Coriomeris denticulatus

Ceraleptus gracilicornis Bathysolen nubilus Coreus marginatus

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Number of sampling points

Fig. 2. The number of sampling points populated by hereroptera

The highest diversity was recorded in the ecosystems that are characterized by abundant grassy vegetation, represented both by pastures, hayfields and riverside coppices and the lowest diversity values were recorded in the spruce forest. The Shanon-Wiener diversity index values indicate a high biodiversity of the studied area and show once again

15 that the species of Heteroptera from the studied taxonomic groups (Pentatomoidea and Coreoidea) prefer grassy ecosystems (Tab. 2).

Tab. 2 The diversity of the studied ecosystems Bargaului Valy Budacu Valy Taul Piatra Colibita Budacu Budacu Riverside Riverside Zânelor Fântânele Hay Hay Spruce coppice coppice Pasture Hay field field field Diversity 1.078 1.223 0.4 1.119 1.175 1.191 1.199

CONCLUSIONS

Within Natura 2000 Cu ma Site, a number of 37 species, belonging to 9 terestrial heteroptera families have been identified;
The best represented is the Pentatomidae Family, with 207 individuals from 17 species, followed by the Rhopalidae Family with 199 individuals from 8 species, Scutelleridae Family with 50 indiviluals from 3 species and the Coreidae Family with 35 individuals from 4 species;
The highest number of species (25), but also the highest number of individuals has been collected within Piatra Fântânele hayfield, located on a sunny versant with a well developed grassy vegetation;
Within the studied forest, the only species that has been carachterised by a high number of individuals (17), is Pentatoma rufipes, an arboreal species that has been found on isolated beeches (Fagus sylvatica );
Aside from the forest ecosystem, where the arboreal species Pentatoma rufipes has a relative abundance of 73,9%, in the rest of the ecosystems the maximal values of the relative abundance are situated between 10 and 20%, fact that indicates a high heteroptera diversity.
Some polyphagous and euritope species (Dolycoris baccarum, Carpocoris purpureipennis, Eurygaster testudinaria and Rhopalus parumpunctatus ) have been collected from all 7 studied ecosystems, while other species have been collected within only one type of ecosystem (Pentatoma rufipes - has been collected within riverside coppice and forest, being an arboreal species, Palomena prasina - has been collected within pasture and hayfield, being caracteristic for this type of ecosystems);
In those ecoststems that are caracterised by a abundant grassy vegetation (pastures, hayfields, riverside coppices), the diversity index has recorded high values, while in the spruce forest the lowest diversity values were recorded;
Both number of the identified species and the indiviluals distribution over this types of ecosystems are a caracteristic of areas with high biodiversity. This leads to the fact that Natura 2000 Cusma Site has a remarkable value, taking acount of the natural fond.

REFERENCES

1. Davidova - Vilimova J. and J. E. McPheson. (1995): History of the higher classification of the subfamily Podopinae (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), a historical review. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Biologica. 38(2): 99-124. 2. Kis, B. (1984). Insecta. Heteroptera: General Part and Pentatomoidea Suprafamily Academia S. R. Romania. Romanian Fauna. VIII(8): 1- 216. 3. Kis, B. (2001). Insecta. Heteroptera: Coreoidea and Pyrrhocorioidea Suprafamilies. Editura Academiei Române. Romanian Fauna. VIII(9): 99 pp.

16 4. Lehr, P. A. (2001). Keys to the insects of the Far East of the USSR. U. S. Department of Agriculture. English translation. 211 pp. 5. Proorocu, M., P. V. Beldean and I. Oroian. (2007). Implementation of the „Natura 2000” European Ecological Network in the 6th North-Western Region. Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences an Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. 63-64: 430-435. 6. Schuh, R. T. and J. A. Slater. (1995). True Bugs of the World (Hemiptera: Heteroptera). Classification and Natural History. Cornell University Press. Ithaca and London. 7. Southwood, T. R. E. and D. Leston. (1959). Land and water bugs of the British Isles. Frederick Warne and Co. Ltd. London. 436 pp.

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