The effect of management in agroecosystems on the histomorphological variability of epigeic beetles
Abstract
Monitoring the impact of agricultural management on epigeic beetles is important for assessing the stability of agroecosystems . Beetles represent suitable bioindicators , as they respond sensitively to e nvironmental changes. We analyzed histomorphometric traits ( area, perimeter, maximum and minimum diameter) o f the c ecal crypts of the beetles Pterostichus niger (Schaller, 1783), Calathus fuscipes ( Goeze , 1777) , and Silp ha obscura Linnaeus, 1758 living under organic and conventional management conditions. The results showed higher med i an values of the histomorphological features of P. niger and S. obscura under organic ma n agement, and a similar trend was observed for C . fuscipes . Conventional management was associated with lower median values of the histomorphological features, indicating the presence of individuals that were lacking food. The most pronounced reaction to management was confirmed in P . niger and S . obscura , and the lowest in C . fuscipes , which corr e sponds to its preference for warmer and more disturbed habitats. The obtained results point to the importance of organic management for supporting favorable histomorphological structures of epigeic beetles and emphasize their usefulness in monitoring anthropogenic impacts and setting effective agroenvironmental measures.References
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