18th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Distribution and Abundance of Beetles (Coleoptera) Across
Savanna – Forest Ecotones in Thousand Hills State Park, Missouri
Rebecca J. Saff
Dr. Michael I. Kelrick and Dr. Jonathan C. Gering, Faculty Mentors
Spatial patterns of insect abundance are determined by characteristics of the landscape. In northeastern Missouri, the landscape is characterized by oak-hickory forest with relictual patches of oak savanna. We examined the abundance of five beetle (Coleoptera) taxa across the savanna-forest ecotones in Thousand Hills State Park, Adair County, MO. Pitfall samples were collected at three time periods (June, August 1993; June 1994) along three transects (11 traps each) that spanned savanna-forest ecotones in each of four savanna patches (only two patches in 1994; 330 traps total). Most (40-70%) of the 304 beetles were located in forested areas in both years; the savannas had the lowest beetle abundance. Our findings suggest that these beetles taxa respond to landscape characteristics at fine (<25m) spatial scales.
Keywords: ecotone, distribution, Coleoptera
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 42-4
Location: VH 1432
Time: 3:00