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<p>Biodiversity constitutes a fundamental component in the sustainability of ecosystems and the continued provision of ecosystem services. Ground beetles, which are sensitive to environmental changes and play crucial ecological roles, possess a strong potential as bioindicators of biodiversity. The mountainous region of the central Zagros in Iran represent one of the region's significant biodiversity hotspots and are simultaneously subjected to intense anthropogenic pressures and climate change impacts. Nevertheless, knowledge regarding the community structure of this insect group in the area remains highly limited. This research examined the species, and functional diversity of ground beetles across four different ecosystems in this area, with the goal of establishing a scientific basis for pinpointing high-priority conservation sites and evaluating the efficacy of conservation strategies. Sampling was conducted from spring to autumn 2024 (May to December) in the Sarsakhti oak forest protected area, Shahbaz shrubland, Hendudar foothill grassland, and Meyghan wetland. A linear transect of ~ 68 km<sup>2</sup> from the northern to southern slopes was established with four main stations representing contrasting habitats. At each station, three substations were set at ~ 50&#xa0;m intervals, each containing nine pitfall traps over ~ 200 m<sup>2</sup>. Ground beetles were sampled biweekly throughout the study period. A total of 5,390 specimens, 31 species, 20 genera, and eight subfamilies, were collected. Lebiinae and Platyninae were the most abundant subfamilies. <i>Calathus fuscipes</i> and <i>Cymindis lineata</i> were the most abundant species, comprising 43.37% and 24.97% of the ground beetle community, respectively. One way ANOSIM revealed significant differences in community structure among the ecosystems (ANOSIM: R = 0.213, <i>p</i> = 0.001). Cluster analysis delineated three main groups: a) foothill grassland, b) oak forest- shrubland, and c) wetland. The protected oak forest area, due to its more stable ecological conditions, not only yielded the highest number of specimens (3,170), but also exhibited the highest values of functional diversity, including functional richness (FRic = 0.80), functional Rao’s quadratic entropy (FRao = 0.50), and functional divergence (FDiv = 0.90). Conversely, the Meyghan wetland, characterized by low protection status and severe environmental challenges—including extreme aridity, high salinity, pronounced seasonal hydrological fluctuations, and substantial anthropogenic pollution—exhibited the lowest values of functional diversity indices. Findings of this study underscore the critical role of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functioning in the central Zagros region.</p>

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Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity in the central Zagros ecosystems: implications for the role of protected areas in biodiversity conservation

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

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  • Raziyeh Alaei,
  • Marjan Seiedy,
  • Martin Husemann

摘要

Biodiversity constitutes a fundamental component in the sustainability of ecosystems and the continued provision of ecosystem services. Ground beetles, which are sensitive to environmental changes and play crucial ecological roles, possess a strong potential as bioindicators of biodiversity. The mountainous region of the central Zagros in Iran represent one of the region's significant biodiversity hotspots and are simultaneously subjected to intense anthropogenic pressures and climate change impacts. Nevertheless, knowledge regarding the community structure of this insect group in the area remains highly limited. This research examined the species, and functional diversity of ground beetles across four different ecosystems in this area, with the goal of establishing a scientific basis for pinpointing high-priority conservation sites and evaluating the efficacy of conservation strategies. Sampling was conducted from spring to autumn 2024 (May to December) in the Sarsakhti oak forest protected area, Shahbaz shrubland, Hendudar foothill grassland, and Meyghan wetland. A linear transect of ~ 68 km2 from the northern to southern slopes was established with four main stations representing contrasting habitats. At each station, three substations were set at ~ 50 m intervals, each containing nine pitfall traps over ~ 200 m2. Ground beetles were sampled biweekly throughout the study period. A total of 5,390 specimens, 31 species, 20 genera, and eight subfamilies, were collected. Lebiinae and Platyninae were the most abundant subfamilies. Calathus fuscipes and Cymindis lineata were the most abundant species, comprising 43.37% and 24.97% of the ground beetle community, respectively. One way ANOSIM revealed significant differences in community structure among the ecosystems (ANOSIM: R = 0.213, p = 0.001). Cluster analysis delineated three main groups: a) foothill grassland, b) oak forest- shrubland, and c) wetland. The protected oak forest area, due to its more stable ecological conditions, not only yielded the highest number of specimens (3,170), but also exhibited the highest values of functional diversity, including functional richness (FRic = 0.80), functional Rao’s quadratic entropy (FRao = 0.50), and functional divergence (FDiv = 0.90). Conversely, the Meyghan wetland, characterized by low protection status and severe environmental challenges—including extreme aridity, high salinity, pronounced seasonal hydrological fluctuations, and substantial anthropogenic pollution—exhibited the lowest values of functional diversity indices. Findings of this study underscore the critical role of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functioning in the central Zagros region.