Ecological and faunistic survey of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in mulberry plantations in the Slavyansky District of Krasnodar Territory

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the fauna and key ecological characteristics of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in the ecosystem of mulberry plantations in the Slavyansky District of the Krasnodar Region. Two localities were studied, distinguished by the heterogeneity of their phytocenotic composition: the area near the village of Anastasievskaya, located in close proximity to an agricultural zone, and the village of Kubris, located along the watercourse of the Protoka River. A total of 43 species of ground beetles from 24 genera and 15 tribes were found. According to hygropreference, the mesophilic group of beetles prevails, accounting for 83% of the total number of species. In the structure of life forms in both studied localities, zoophages dominate, accounting for 73%. Among zoophages, eight groups of life forms were identified: flying epigeobionts, walking epigeobionts, stratobionts-burrowers in litter and cracks, stem-dwelling chortobionts, running-burrowing geobionts, stratobionts-burrowers in surface litter, substrate-dwelling stratobionts, and substrate-soil burrowing stratobionts. Among the mixophagous organisms, there are three groups: harpaloid geochortobionts, ditomoid geochortobionts, and stratochortobionts. In the biotopic structure of ground beetles, representatives of five main ecological groups stand out: field, steppe, marsh, meadow, and forest communities. A statistically confirmed dependence of the number of ground beetles on phytocenotic characteristics and the level of anthropogenic impact has been established.