AN ANALYSIS OF THE COLEOPTERA LIVING ALONG A TYRRHENIAN BEACH-DUNE SYSTEM : ABUNDANCES, ZONATION AND ECOLOGICAL INDICES M Fallaci, I. Colombini, L. Chelazz To cite this version: M Fallaci, I. Colombini, L. Chelazz. AN ANALYSIS OF THE COLEOPTERA LIVING ALONG A TYRRHENIAN BEACH-DUNE SYSTEM : ABUNDANCES, ZONATION AND ECOLOGICAL INDICES. Vie et Milieu / Life & Environment, Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago, 1994, pp.243-256. hal-03048050 HAL Id: hal-03048050 https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-03048050 Submitted on 9 Dec 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. VIE MILIEU, 1994, 44 (3/4) : 243-256 AN ANALYSIS OF THE COLEOPTERA LIVING ALONG A TYRRHENIAN BEACH-DUNE SYSTEM : ABUNDANCES, ZONATION AND ECOLOGICAL INDICES M. FALLACI{1\ I. COLOMBINI{2) and L. CHELAZZI{1) (1) Centro di Studio per la Faunistica ed Ecologia Tropicali del C.N.R., Via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, Italia Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica dell'Université di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, Italia COLEOPTERA ABSTRACT - The Coleoptera of the beach-dune-lagoon System of Burano (GR, BEACH-DUNE SYSTEM Italy) were studied over an entire year (April 1986 - March 1987). The beetles ABUNDANCES were collected along a transect extending from the beach to the lagoon using an ZONATION DIVERSITY integrated System of traps. The distribution and the zonation of the most abundant species, principally belonging to the Tenebrionidae, Staphylinidae, Anthicidae and Carabidae families, are reported as capture frequencies. A quantitative analysis of the beetle community, in the différent zones and in the four seasons of the year, is made using ecological coefficients. This shows that the Tenebrionidae family is numerically the most abundant with présences concentrated during summer months. The diurnal species has a more landward zonation if compared to the nocturnal species that generally occupy the eulittoral. The beetle community is also studied from a qualitative point of view using diversity indices. Fisher's high diversity index shows that the beach-dune-lagoon System of Burano has a high biodiversity indicating good habitat quality. COLEOPTERA RÉSUMÉ - Les Coléoptères du système plage-dune-lagune de Burano (GR, Italie) SYSTÈME PLAGE-DUNE ont été étudié pendant une année (avril 1986 - mars 1987). Les animaux ont été ABONDANCES échantillonnés le long d'un transect de la plage à la lagune par un système intégré ZONATION DIVERSITÉ de pièges. Les espèces les plus abondantes appartiennent principalement aux fa- milles des Tenebrionidae, Staphylinidae, Anthicidae et Carabidae ; leur distribution et leur zonation sont reportées comme fréquences de capture. Une analyse quan- titative de la communauté des Coléoptères, dans les différentes zones et pendant les quatre saisons de l'année, a été faite par les coefficients écologiques. Cette analyse montre que la famille des Tenebrionidae est numériquement la plus abon- dante avec une présence répartie pendant les mois d'été. Les espèces diurnes mon- trent une zonation plus continentale par rapport aux espèces nocturnes qui occupent généralement l'eulitoral. Les indices de diversité ont été utilisés dans l'analyse qualitative. L'indice de diversité de Fisher élevé montre que le système plage- dune-lagune de Burano a une haute biodiversité indiquant la qualité de l'habitat. INTRODUCTION ent habitats through the analysis of zoological communities (Bigot & Bodot 1973a,b,c ; Bigot & Gautier, 1982 ; Bigot et al, 1982 ; Ponel, 1983). The ecological importance of coastal dunes and Ecoethological and ecological aspects of macro- sandy beaches has been pointed out by many invertebrates of beach-dune Systems have been authors. Starting from structural and descriptive analysed on tropical sandy shores (Chelazzi et al, works on beach invertebrates (Angelier, 1950 ; 1983 ; Stenton-Dozey & Griffiths, 1983 ; Griffiths van Heerdt & Kramer, 1952 ; Callan, 1964 ; Bigot et al, 1983 ; Ronchetti et al., 1986) and some 1970 ; Brown, 1971 ; Serrano, 1987), attention has work has also been achieved on mediterranean been focused on the interaction of abiotic and bi- areas (Geppetti & Tongiorgi, 1967 ; Tongiorgi, otic factors that occur along the sea-land axis 1967, 1969 ; Scapini et al, 1992). Recently (Verdier & Quézel, 1951 ; van Heerdt & Môrzer Brown & McLachlan (1990) and McLachlan Bruyns, 1960 ; Caussanel, 1965, 1970). Other (1991) have done a review on biotic and abiotic authors have extended their researches on popu- factors that influence animal adaptations to the lation dynamics and on the biodiversity of différ- beach-dune habitat. 244 FALLACI et al. This paper deals with the seasonal abundances maritima L. The remaining four zones corres- and the use of space in some Coleoptera species ponded to the extralittoral part of the beach-dune- living along the Tyrrhenian coast of Tuscany. In lagoon system. Zone 3 corresponded to the two previous works (Chelazzi et al., 1990 ; seaward face of the most récent dune and ex- Colombini et al, 1991) the environment, the tended to the summit of the dune (8 m above sea- methods and preliminary results concerning the level). This zone is characterized by bush plants five most abundant families have been presented. such as Juniperus oxycedrus L. macrocarpa The aim of this work is to analyse the zonation (Sibth. et Sm.) Bail, and Myrtus communis L. and the seasonal activity patterns of the most Zone 4, the landward face of the dune présents abundant captured species and to evaluate the tall trees mainly belonging to the Quercus genus community through analytical ecological coeffi- (Q. ilex L., Q. pubescens Willd. and Q. suber L.) cients and diversity indices. and has the peculiar characteristics of being shaded and of having an abundant litter of leaves. Zone 5, the most ancient dune, has a typical Medi- terranean maquis. Finally zone 6, stretching from MATERIALS AND METHODS the landward face of this second dune to the lagoon shore, apart from having an area of planted For an entire year (from April 1986 to March pinewood, présents a marsh and lacustrine végéta- 1987) microclimatic and faunal data were recorded tion (Salicornia sp., Phragmites australis (Cav.) monthly along a transect extending from the beach Trin. ex Steudel, Juncus maritimus Lam. etc.) and to the Burano lagoon (42°23'30" N, 11°22'30" E, is periodically subjected to inundation. From a mi- Capalbio, GR, Italy). Captures were made at a 2h- croclimatic point of view zones 1, 2, 3 and 5 pré- interval for a period of 72 consécutive hours. Ac- sent monthly mean sand températures with similar cording to the morphology, the exposure and the trends. The higher values found in zone 5 are végétation cover the transect was subdivided into mainly due to its greater thermal capacity thanks six zones (Fig. 1). Zone 1, corresponding to the to the black colour of the sand. Zones 4 and 6, eulittoral, was ca. 35 m wide and contained fresh instead, présent monthly mean sand températures débris. Zone 2, the supralittoral part of the beach similar to mean air températures indicating a ca. 20 m in width, contained older beach deposits fresher microhabitat (for further information see swept up by the wind to the pioneer plants which Chelazzi et al, 1990). first appear in this area. Thèse halophile plants To obtain a complète faunal inventory, both are mainly represented by Ammophila arenaria from a quantitative and qualitative point of view, (L.) Link, Otanthus maritimus (L.) Hoffmanns et différent methods were used to capture the in- Links, Eryngium maritimum L. and Anthémis vertebrates. The use of an integrated System of Table L - List of the species considered in this work (n > 10). Carabidae Mycetophagidae Eurynebria compianata (Linneus, 1767) Berginus tamarisci Wollaston, 1854 Scarites buparius (Forster, 1771) Bembidion normannum (Csiki. 1926) Oedemeridaae Pogonus riparius Dejean, 1828 Oedemera flavipes Fabricius, 1792 Harpalus melancholicus Dejean. 1829 Calathus Tnollis Marshmam. 1802 Anthicidae An-thicus fenestratus Schmidt, 1842 Hydraenidae Hirticomus hispidus (Rossi, 1792) Ochthebius rmilleri Ganglbauer, 1901 Tenebrionidae Histeridae Erodius siculus Solier, 1834 Hypocaccus dimidiatus (llliger, 1807) Tentyria grossa Besser, 1832 Stenosis angustata Herbst, 1799 Staphylinidae Pimelia bipunctata Fabricius, 1781 Ân-otylus inustus (Gravenhorst, 1806) Trachyscelis aphodioides Latreiile, 1809 Anotylus sculpturatus (Gravenhorst, 1806) Halammobia pellucida Herbst, 1799 Philonthus oblitus Jarrige, 1951 Phaleria bim.acu.lata Linneus, 1767 Heterathaps dissimilis (Gravenhorst. 1802) Phaleria provincialis Fauvel, 1901 Quedius pallipes Coiffait. 1961 Xanthom-as pallidus Curtis, 1830 Sepedophilus nigripennis (Stephens. 1832) Xanthomus pellucidus Mulsant, 1856 Atheta amicula Stephens, 1832 Atheta pertyi Heer, 1842 Chrysometidae Atheta picipennis (Mannerheim, 1843) Psylliodes pallidipennis Rosenhauer, 1856 Pseiaphidae Curculionidae Brachygluta schueppeli Aubè, 1844 Otiorrhynchus juvencus Gyllenhall, 1834 Sitona cachectus Gyllenhail, 1834 Malachiidae Sitona