Population Structure of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) Inhabiting Uncultivated Areas within the Botanic Garden of Perm State University

Ground beetle groups inhabiting the lawn and area occupied by ruderal vegetation in the Botanic Garden of the Perm State University were examined from April to November 2021 using the soil trap method with a preservative (4% formaldehyde). In total, 1643 ground beetle individuals were collected during the research period; 41 species representing 14 genera and belonging to 7 life forms and 5 ecological groups were identified. Pterostichus melanarius was the absolute dominant; the following species acted as subdominants in different seasons: Bembidion properans, Calathus erratus, Amara aenea, Harpalus rufipes, Harpalus affinis, and Harpalus tardus. The abundance, number of species, and diversity of the ground beetle population vary significantly on different sampling plots and feature seasonal changes. On the lawn sampling plot, two abundance peaks (in May and August) were recorded in the seasonal dynamics of ground beetles; on the ruderal vegetation sampling plot, a single peak was recorded in May. Quantitative ratios between ecological groups vary dynamically throughout the season, but the predominance of meadow–field species remains a common feature. On the plot with ruderal vegetation, mixophytophages predominate over zoophages both in number of species and abundance, while zoophages predominate on the lawn both in species diversity and abundance.