Skip to main content

Djazia Toutah

  • Biodiversity Journal, 16 (2): 315-336

    Djazia Toutah, Mohammed Bouzouina, Amine Ghelamallah & José Serrano
    Ground beetles of two cultivated orchards and one mixed forest near Mostaganem, Algeria (Coleoptera Carabidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2025.16.2.315.336

    ABSTRACT
    The aim of this study is to investigate the environmental factors affecting the seasonal changes in carabid assemblages (Coleoptera Carabidae) inhabiting a vineyard field, a pomegranate orchard, and a mixed forest near Mostaganem (NW Algeria). The study area included agricultural and forested plots in the wilaya (province) of Mostaganem along the Mediterranean coast. Two plots were cultivated, a vineyard and a pomegranate orchard, while the third site was a mixed forest. Pitfall trapping was used to collect beetles between April 2019 and March 2020. Traps filled with propylene glycol were checked every 15 days during the year. A principal component analysis was used to reduce the components of the observed variation of species and specimens during the seasons. To achieve this aim, we used the PAST app. Each site showed peculiar temporal species succession, dominance, and species diversity (number of specimens and species); species in common to the three sites were few. The pomegranate orchard showed the highest diversity (29 species, 984 specimens). The vineyard harbored 16 species and 546 specimens, and the diversity peaked during autumn and early winter when grapes were harvested. The mixed forest was relatively poor in terms of species and specimens. Five species of Graphipterus were present here. The diversity of the faunistic assemblages varied notably among seasons of the same site and the sites; it was also quite distinct from that previously described for other cultures nearby. We could not fully assess the role of environmental factors in the carabid assemblages’ dynamics and structure. Site management (culture, irrigation) likely affected the generalist carabids that dominated the cultures. Despite being relatively close and sharing similar environmental factors, sites harbored distinct species composition. We hypothesize that the hazardous dispersal of beetles also darkens the occurrence of patterns that model the composition of the assemblages.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (4): 845-880

    Djazia Toutah, Mohammed Bouzouina, Amine Ghelamallah & José Serrano
    Seasonal changes in carabid assemblages of Mostaganem, Algeria (Coleoptera Carabidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.4.845.880

    ABSTRACT
    Seasonal changes in carabid assemblages (Coleoptera Carabidae) inhabiting four sites near Mostaganem (NW Algeria) were investigated from April 2019 to March 2020 by means of pitfall trapping. Notable changes were found in all sites. In a citrus orchard (31 species, 710 specimens) spring breeders were more frequent. An olive grove (34 species, 1219 specimens) was dominated by Orthomus abacoides (974 specimens). Activity-density was concentrated in spring and autumn. An Eucalyptus forest (21 species, 292 specimens) showed unexpected species diversity and is a secondary habitat for large predators and forest taxa. In a fallow humid zone, a high number of species (80) and specimens (4366) were captured. Activity-density peaked in spring but was intense in all seasons. Hygrophilous and generalist taxa were dominant throughout all seasons. Seasonal changes are thought to be due to varying phenology and life cycle of species. Diversity was influenced by a few dominant species in all sites, but it was high in the fallow humid zone and decreased in cultivated areas. Comparison between sites was difficult because of the heterogeneity of species composition, which also applies to other Algerian cultivated lands, forests, and wetlands. Fine ecological tunning to environmental factors and random dispersal of taxa are likely causing seasonal faunal heterogeneity.