Inventory and Study of the Effects of Fire on Ground Beetles of NortheasternIowa's Tallgrass Prairies

摘要

This project is a survey of the ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) oftallgrass prairies in Northeastern Iowa and will hopefully identify prairie-specialist species which may make good ecological indicators of the effects of management practices such as fire in tallgrass prairies. The specific objectives of this Project are to (1) inventory the ground beetle fauna in both original and reconstructed tallgrass prairies of northeastern Iowa, (2) to identify ground beetle species which are potential prairie-specialists, and (3) to quanitfy the impact of dormant season fire on the ground beetle communities of these tallgrass prairie sites. During the summer of 1996, the authors are surveying the ground beetle fauna at four tallgrass prairie sites in northeastern Iowa (Effigy Mounds National Monument in Clayton County, Anderson and Chipera Prairies in Winnesheik County, and Hyden Prairie in Howard County) using pitfall traps. The authors are comparing the ground beetle communities of the tallgrass prairies with nearby non-prairie sites such as woods, agricultural fields, and non-prairie old-field habitats. Within each prairie, the authors are evaluating the effect of fire treatments. A comprehensive reference collection currently holding 94 species of Iowa carabids is being assembled and a computerized database established.