Carabid beetles are frequently used as the environment condition indicators. Main purpose of this study was to test if community structure parameters of carabids indicate the stress intensity of heavy metal contamination in the soil of temperate forests. Three geographic regions in Europe differing in both degree of accumulation of heavy metals and its quality were chosen. In Olkusz (southern Poland) the main stressor was zinc, in Głogów (western Poland) – copper and in Clydach (Wales, UK) – nickel. We found strong division between assemblages from contaminated and reference sites (fig. 2). Indicator species from pollution preferring areas in one region can avoid polluted sites in the other region (tab. 2). Species preferring contaminated soils were significantly smaller than those that avoid such ecosystems (F=5.46, p<0.05). Generalized linear model indicated that species richness and biomass decreased in each stressor gradient of contaminated forests. Mean individual biomass and mean abundance of assemblages were significantly lower along zinc gradient only. Species with broader ecological range replace habitat specialists as a response to resource unpredictability. Decreased species richness and biomass in polluted forests indicate degradation of habitat resources and forest ecosystem functioning.

Sylwan 159 (11): 905-911