COLONIZATION OF A RESTORED LANDFILL SITE BY INVERTEBRATES, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE COLEOPTERA

1. Pitfall traps were used to determine the invertebrate fauna of a la ndfill site I year, 4 years and 12 years after final covering with soi l. On the most recent site a pitfall trap transect was used to examine colonization from the boundary. 2. The most recently covered site was dominated by highly dispersive Colleoptera and Araneae, the intermedi ate site had most Isopoda and Collembola, while Formicidae and Isopoda were the most abundant at the oldest site. 3. The coleoptera fauna of the most recent site was dominated by Carabidae, Staphylinidae made u p the greater proportion of the assemblage on the intermediate site, w hile both families were equally abundant on the oldest site. 4. The ne west site was most dissimilar in terms of the overall intervertebrate assemblage and of the beetle fauna. The species abundance relationship for beetles showed a log-normal distribution on the 4 and 12-year old sites and a logarithmic distribution on the most recent site. 5. Seed ing immediately after covering and inoculation with top soil containin g invertebrates could accelerate the establishment of an invertebrate community and hence the development of soil structure.