Corresponding author: Małgorzata Leśniewska (
Academic editor: Ivan H. Tuf
The main aim of the survey was to describe the diversity and richness of
Leśniewska M, Jastrzębski P, Stańska M, Hajdamowicz I (2015) Centipede (Chilopoda) richness and diversity in the Bug River valley (Eastern Poland). In: Tuf IH, Tajovský K (Eds) Proceedings of the 16th International Congress of Myriapodology, Olomouc, Czech Republic. ZooKeys 510: 125–139. doi:
Habitats in valleys of European rivers are relatively poorly known in terms of species diversity, habitat selection and the dynamics of
Centipedes from river valleys have been studied mainly in the context of changes in the communities as a result of seasonal flooding (
River valleys, especially the natural ones, only slightly changed – unregulated, are extremely valuable areas with habitats found more and more rarely, which already start to disappear across the continent. Studies on these habitats provides an opportunity not only to learn about the biodiversity but also to develop appropriate management and protection schemes. The Bug River is one of the few rivers of such a size in Europe, which still remain almost unregulated (
The aim of this study is to describe the diversity and richness of
determination of the species composition and structure of
distinction of the most numerous species in a given habitat and those that are most flexible in many environments;
determination of the habitat preferences of centipede species in the studied areas.
Research in the Bug river valley was conducted since March to November in 2007 and 2008.
The study sites were located in two regions differing in the shape of the valley, the presence of thermophilous habitats and the size of riparian forests (Figure
In the middle section of the river, as it meanders and cuts through glacial uplands at the depth of 30 m creating a unique landscape in Europe, where the characteristic feature is the presence of thermophilous habitats and well-preserved riparian forests (near localities: Gnojno, Zabuże in the protected area ‘Podlasie Bug Gorge Landscape Park’, and near locality Mogielnica in the protected area ‘Bug Landscape Park’);
In the lower course of the river, where the valley is much wider (it stretches up to several kilometers wide) with an overgrown flood terrace at its bottom. In this section, the Bug river slowly meanders and sometimes changes its course (near localities: Morzyczyn, Płatkownica, in the protected area ‘Bug Landscape Park’).
Location of the study area in Poland. Study area. Morzyczyn, Płatkownica – lower section of the Bug valley: Mogielnica, Zabuże, Gnojno – central section of the Bug valley.
In the Bug valley we can come across habitats that vary in terms of moisture content and structure – two important parameters from the point of view of
Below, the data about the habitat (along with an abbreviation used throughout the study), coordinates, phytocoenosis, location, substrate, at every site are given.
The coordinates of the sites were determined using a GPS device by Garmin.
Pitfall traps were used as a sampling method. An aqueous solution of propylene glycol (about 50%), containing a few drops of a detergent per 1 liter to reduce the surface tension of the fluid, was used as a preservation liquid. In each of the sites ten pitfall traps were placed in one straight line, at a distance of two meters one from another. The beginning of the trapping period was in the middle of March and the end was in the middle of November. The traps were replaced every two weeks.
The material analyzed in the current work was obtained during studies related to different groups of arthropods – including primarily spiders, carabids, diplopods and butterflies – under the project titled “The diversity of habitats and the biological diversity of selected groups of
In this work, standard methods and analysis indicators were applied: The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H), Pielou’s measure of species evenness (J), Morisita index values as modified by Horn, the cluster analysis – distance/similarity measure Bray and Curtis; cluster method: nearest neighbor.
444 specimens belonging to 12 centipede species of two orders –
List, the number (N), dominance (D%) of
Species/habitats | Ecol. and zoog. classif. | thermophilous thickets (tht) | sandy grassland (sgr) | xerothermic grassland (xgr) | mesic meadow (mm) | riparian forest (rfo) | rushes at oxbows (rux) | wet meadow (wm) | no data | total | number of habitats | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | D | N | D | N | D | N | D | N | D | N | D | N | D | N | N | D | ||||
1 | e, Austras, E, Am, Af | 1 | 2.4 | 1 | 1.6 | 15 | 17.6 | 12 | 8.6 | 20 | 95.2 | 11 | 84.6 | 1 | 61 | 14.3 | 6 | |||
2 | f, P | 4 | 9.8 | 1 | 2.4 | 11 | 18 | 5 | 5.9 | 122 | 87.8 | 1 | 4.8 | 14 | 158 | 37.0 | 7 | |||
3 | ? | 5 | 12.2 | 22 | 52.4 | 20 | 32.8 | 9 | 10.6 | 5 | 3.6 | 2 | 63 | 14.8 | 5 | |||||
4 | e, E | 1 | 2.4 | 1 | 2.4 | 2 | 0.5 | 2 | ||||||||||||
5 | e, WP | 4 | 9.8 | 1 | 2.4 | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 7 | 1.6 | 3 | |||||||||
6 | e, s, E | 1 | 2.4 | 1 | 0.2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
7 | f, E | 17 | 41.5 | 1 | 2.4 | 2 | 3.3 | 20 | 4.7 | 3 | ||||||||||
8 | f, E | 1 | 1 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||||
5 | - | 1 | - | 5 | - | 1 | - | 5 | - | 17 | - | |||||||||
9 | e, E, iNA | 2 | 4.9 | 1 | 2.4 | 1 | 1.6 | 3 | 3.5 | 7 | 1.6 | 4 | ||||||||
10 | e, H | 1 | 2.4 | 14 | 33.3 | 22 | 36.1 | 49 | 57.6 | 2 | 15.4 | 5 | 93 | 21.8 | 6 | |||||
11 | e, s, E, Naf, iNA | 4 | 9.8 | 3 | 4.9 | 4 | 4.7 | 1 | 12 | 2.8 | 3 | |||||||||
12 | 2 | 4.9 | 2 | 0.5 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
number of specimens | 46 | 43 | 66 | 86 | 144 | 21 | 13 | 25 | 444 | 8 | ||||||||||
number of species | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||||||||||||
number of sites | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||
H’ | 0.81 | 0.54 | 0.65 | 0.56 | 0.19 | 0.08 | 0.19 | |||||||||||||
H max | 1.0 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 0.78 | 0.48 | 0.30 | 0.30 | |||||||||||||
J | 81.2 | 59.6 | 72.4 | 72.0 | 40.6 | 27.6 | 61.9 |
In the area under investigation, the following four centipede species were most numerous and most common:
These species constitute 88% of all centipedes caught during the study, thus establishing themselves as the most typical ones of almost all habitats of the study area. It is only in thermophilous thickets that a species from outside this group of four dominates –
Interspecies occurrence similarity (Figure
Similarity of species (distance/similarity measure Bray and Curtis; cluster method: nearest neighbor). Species nomenclature in Table
Three distinct groups can be identified in the dendrogram. The first group includes species associated with dry habitats, which are rarely found in the Bug valley (
In terms of ecology and zoogeography European eurytopic species prevail (Table
Two to ten
The greatest number of specimens was found in the following habitats: riparian forests, mesic meadows and xerothermic grasslands (Table
In the majority of habitats one species was overwhelmingly dominant (from 41.5% to 95.2%). In rushes at oxbows and in the wet meadows it was
The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H) and Pielou’s measure of species evenness (J) reached their highest values in thermophilous thickets, xerothermic grasslands, mesic meadows, while the lowest values – in rushes at oxbows and riparian forests (Table
The cluster analysis conducted on the basis of the species composition and dominance structure demonstrated the greatest similarity between communities of warm and dry habitats on the one hand, and wet and flooded – on the other (Figure
Dendrogram of the similarities of centipede composition in different habitats (distance/similarity measure – Bray and Curtis, cluster method –nearest neighbor) For designations see Table
Similarity of dominance structures – Morisita index values as modified by Horn. For designations see Table
tht | 1 | ||||||
sgr | 0.29 | 1 | |||||
xgr | 0.35 | 0.90 | 1 | ||||
rfo | 0.18 | 0.07 | 0.33 | 1 | |||
rux | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.15 | 1 | ||
wm | 0.01 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.10 | 0.98 | 1 | |
mm | 0.13 | 0.66 | 0.79 | 0.12 | 0.26 | 0.42 | 1 |
tht | sgr | xgr | rfo | rux | wm | mm |
We note differences in the species composition and the number of
Although several studies from European river valley areas have been conducted, this habitat is still poorly explored in terms of
This study is based on the materials obtained in studies on groups of arthropods other than
The data about the preferences of the majority of species with regard to the habitats was confirmed in the investigated area. The wettest and flooded habitats feature the lowest number of
As noted by
The riparian forest habitat is dominated by
In the Bug valley greater species diversity is found in sandy and xerothermic grasslands, where
Most species in the Bug river valley inhabit thermophilous thickets – an environment that is already similar to forest habitats. This is clearly manifested by the composition of
As one of the most important results obtained in the present study is the reported high number of specimens of
Our results confirm the need to protect xerothermic habitats, unique almost throughout entire Central Europe, which due to their dispersion and their small area covered are fairly easily subject to the process of destruction. These environments are refuges for rare species of animals – including centipedes, as our research shows.
The results from our research in the Bug Valley also show that centipedes are a valuable indicator group for the assessment of habitat conditions. The information about the species composition of
We wish to extend our gratitude to Karin Voigtländer and Ivan Tuf for the extremely valuable comments to the first version of the manuscript.
M. Stańska and I. Hajdamowicz were supported by grant of Siedlce University of Sciences and Humanities 222/05/S.