Flightless Beetles as Biodiversity
Indicators for Age Structure in
Forests
Katie Riley
Primary Research Site: Pilot
Mountain State Park
-Yadkin River Corridor Trail
- Approximately 6 miles (one way)
- Connects Mountain section to
Yadkin River section
What am I doing?
• Community ecology flightless ground beetle (Carabidae)
study
• Forest age and type related to Carabid diversity &
community stability
• Pitfall traps (liquid preservative, non-toxic propylene
glycol)
• Forest age intervals: recently disturbed (forest 0-1 yr
old), 10-20, 30-40, 50-60, 80-100 years old
• 6 plots each age; twelve pitfall traps
• Why ground beetles?
GIS Maps
What I hope to
add…..Forest
Type/Cover and a
Forest Age Layer
And a layer with
sample sites once I
have actual sites….
What’s the Purpose?
• Beetle diversity and community stability
directly correlated to the overall diversity
and stability of the forest
• Age structure affect diversity & stability?