The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation

Ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are common predators found in agricultural ecosystems. They feed on crop pests and help reduce pest population. Additionally, they are used as bioindicators to determine the impact of human activities on entomofauna and habitat conditions. The aim of this study...

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Main Authors: Agnieszka Kosewska, Renata Kędzior, Dariusz Drożdżyński, Mariusz Nietupski, Emilia Ludwiczak, Beata Bąk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6572
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author Agnieszka Kosewska
Renata Kędzior
Dariusz Drożdżyński
Mariusz Nietupski
Emilia Ludwiczak
Beata Bąk
author_facet Agnieszka Kosewska
Renata Kędzior
Dariusz Drożdżyński
Mariusz Nietupski
Emilia Ludwiczak
Beata Bąk
author_sort Agnieszka Kosewska
collection DOAJ
description Ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are common predators found in agricultural ecosystems. They feed on crop pests and help reduce pest population. Additionally, they are used as bioindicators to determine the impact of human activities on entomofauna and habitat conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the ground beetles that inhabit chemically protected (CP) and non-chemically protected (NCP) potato crops and to assess the impact of pesticide use on these beneficial insects. This study was conducted in Poland, on potato fields where ground beetles were caught during four-year crop rotation cycles in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Two fields with potato crops were chosen: one without chemical protection and the other with chemical protection. Soil traps were used to catch insects, resulting in 7095 individuals of Carabidae, belonging to 41 species, caught throughout the study. The abundance and species richness of ground beetles fluctuated depending on the year of the study and the type of crop protection. Results showed that pesticide use in potato crops decreased ground beetle abundance while species richness remained unaffected. Furthermore, the use of chemical plant protection (CP) induced changes in some life traits of the carabids, leading to a decrease in the abundance of hemizoophages and autumn-breeding carabids. The abundance of the other ecological groups of Carabidae was also year-dependent.
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spelling doaj-art-5c7ece1d8df04056acec3a0ded77b3572025-08-20T03:32:28ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011512657210.3390/app15126572The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year RotationAgnieszka Kosewska0Renata Kędzior1Dariusz Drożdżyński2Mariusz Nietupski3Emilia Ludwiczak4Beata Bąk5Department of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostic, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Ecology, Climatology and Air Protection, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, PolandDepartment of Pesticide Residues Research, Plant Protection Institute, 60-318 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostic, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostic, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Poultry Science and Apiculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, PolandGround beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are common predators found in agricultural ecosystems. They feed on crop pests and help reduce pest population. Additionally, they are used as bioindicators to determine the impact of human activities on entomofauna and habitat conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the ground beetles that inhabit chemically protected (CP) and non-chemically protected (NCP) potato crops and to assess the impact of pesticide use on these beneficial insects. This study was conducted in Poland, on potato fields where ground beetles were caught during four-year crop rotation cycles in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Two fields with potato crops were chosen: one without chemical protection and the other with chemical protection. Soil traps were used to catch insects, resulting in 7095 individuals of Carabidae, belonging to 41 species, caught throughout the study. The abundance and species richness of ground beetles fluctuated depending on the year of the study and the type of crop protection. Results showed that pesticide use in potato crops decreased ground beetle abundance while species richness remained unaffected. Furthermore, the use of chemical plant protection (CP) induced changes in some life traits of the carabids, leading to a decrease in the abundance of hemizoophages and autumn-breeding carabids. The abundance of the other ecological groups of Carabidae was also year-dependent.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6572ground beetlesplant protectionintegrated agricultural productionlife traits
spellingShingle Agnieszka Kosewska
Renata Kędzior
Dariusz Drożdżyński
Mariusz Nietupski
Emilia Ludwiczak
Beata Bąk
The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
Applied Sciences
ground beetles
plant protection
integrated agricultural production
life traits
title The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
title_full The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
title_fullStr The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
title_short The Influence of Plant Protection on Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Potato Crops Cultivated in a Four-Year Rotation
title_sort influence of plant protection on carabids coleoptera carabidae in potato crops cultivated in a four year rotation
topic ground beetles
plant protection
integrated agricultural production
life traits
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6572
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