Ecological studies on the Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) of the Charnwood Forest Area, Leicestershire.

The Staphylinidae of various woodland and non-woodland sites in Charnwood Lodge Nature Reserve and Martinshaw Wood were studied, mainly by pitfall trapping at monthly intervals and by heat extraction of soil samples. The species occurring at the various sites and their temporal variations in abundance were examined. The diversities of the various samples were quantified using the modified Simpson's Index, D, and the Shannon-Weiner Information Index, H'. Samples were also compared quantitatively using f as an index of similarity between samples. The resulting matrices of indices of similarity were sorted by the nearest neighbour and mean index sorting techniques and principal component analysis. In the quantitative comparison of samples, woodland samples were generally separated from open site samples. Charnwood Lodge and Martinshaw Wood samples generally maintained their individual groupings although the latter samples generally grouped with the Charmwood Lodge open site samples. Within the various habitat groupings, samples were generally grouped according to a temporal pattern. Different characteristic species were found in different habitats. Anthodium atrocephalum, A. unicolor, Omalium italicum, Tachinus signatus, Ocalea badia and Oxypoda lividipennis were found in woodland habitats while Tachyporus chrysomelinus T. hypnorum and Drusilla canaliculata were present in large numbers in open habitats. Many woodland species were most active during autumn and winter, while open habitat species were active at different times during the year and ubiquitous species, such as T. chrysomelinus, T. hypnorum and Othius myrmecophilus. Were generally active throughout the year. The deciduous woodland sites had the greatest number of species and the most diverse staphylinid fauna. The differences in the staphylinid fauna at the various sites, and their diversities, were related to site history.