ABSTRACT
Katalin Szlavecz Soil Zoology Group, Dept. of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary, and Dept. of Geography and Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
ABSTRACT
The terrestrial isopod fauna of the Batorliget Nature Reserve, a small area of exceptionally high biodiversity, was studied. A total of eighty pitfall traps were placed in different plant assemblages, such as wet gallery forests, drier oak forests, meadows, and birch swamp. The pitfall traps caught six species of isopods. Species composition and abundance varied markedly among sites, although isopod communities did not correspond to plant community classifications. The relatively undisturbed oakelm-ash gallery forest and the birch swamp are the habitats for Hyloniscus transsilvanicus, a relic isopod from the post-glacial period. Armadillidium vulgare was the most abundant, Haplophthalmus hungaricus the least abundant species in the nature reserve. Total isopod abundance was negatively correlated, whereas diversity and evenness were positively correlated with habitat moisture conditions. The highest number of isopods were caught in spring and summer. Landscape level patchiness seems to be crucial in maintaining high biodiversity in this area. Conservation efforts, therefore, should focus on protecting this habitat mosaic along with preventing the area from further drying.
