Changes in Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Species Assemblages after Removal of Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) Overstory on Dry Sand Prairie Sites in Michigan

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) species assemblages were studied at sites on the Huron-Manistee National Forests in Newaygo County, Michigan. The goal was to monitor changes in carabid diversity on areas where mature red pine (Pinus resinosa Sol. ex Aiton) was removed during the 1996-1997 winter and compare with carabid diversity at nearby natural dry sand prairie sites, natural oak-pine barrens, and uncut red pine stands. The red pine had been planted on dry sand prairie sites during 1940-1950. Sampling with pitfall traps occurred during May-August in both 1996 and 1997, but only July-August in 1999. Overall, 16,259 carabid specimens were collected, representing 92 species of which one was a new state record for Michigan: Dicaelus furvus furvus Dejean. Of the 92 species, 27 were collected in the uncut red pine stands, 41 in the natural dry sand prairie sites, 28 in the natural oak-pine barrens, and 77 in the clearcut areas. Of all 41 species collected in the dry sand prairie sites, 27 (66%) of these were collected in the clearcut sites in 1997, 30 (73%) in 1999, and 34 (81%) for both years combined. Carabid abundance peaked in June in the red pine and oak-pine sites, compared with August for the clearcut sites. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination indicated considerable overlap in the carabid composition for the red pine and oak-pine collections, but more distinct assemblages for the dry sand prairie and clearcut sites. Of the 92 species, 41 (45%) were significant indicator species for a particular habitat.