Carabid beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of periodically flooded habitats in the Lonjsko polje Nature Park (Croatia)

Floods are one of the most important natural disturbance events in the terrestrial ecosystems of the European lowlands. River regulation has significantly altered the river banks and affected river dynamics worldwide. Lonjsko polje, a retention area along the Sava River, plays a crucial role in flood control. However, beyond its flood management function, it holds significant ecological value on regional and global scale. In this study, we aimed to assess the carabid beetle fauna of the flooded habitats of Lonjsko polje Nature Park, the forest remnant and the pasture, using pitfall traps. Altogether 3,369 carabid beetle specimens belonging to 64 species were sampled. Carabid beetle activity density was six times higher in the forest remnant than in the pasture. The assemblages of both habitat types were composed primarily of macropterous species with good dispersal abilities, which can easily move to other areas in response to flooding. In addition, open habitat and hygrophilous species prevailed in terms of abundance in both habitat types. The mosaicity of habitats, combined with traditional land management practices, pig foraging and livestock grazing, support carabid beetle fauna of high conservation value, including rare and threatened species such as Carabus clatratus auraniensis and Blethisa multipunctata .