ARTHROPODOCOENOSES OF AN ORCHARD ECOSYSTEM IN URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

The authors studied the structure and dynamics of arthropod communitie s of an orchard ecosystem that ceased after having been intensively ti lled by man. By the method of soil photoeclectors permanently exposed from April till November they obtained, during the vegetation period, an abundant material of arthropods belonging to 21 orders. Eudominant was the presence of Collembola, Diptera, dominant that of Acarina, Col eoptera and Homoptera. The cumulative abundance of arthropods reached the value of 3,854 ex.m-2, the cumulative abundance of beetles that of 279.5 ex.m-2. In the community of beetles species from 23 families we re present. Phytophagous beetles from the family Curculionidae and pre dators from families Staphylinidae and Carabidae were dominant. Partic ular attention was paid to the investigation of the abundance dynamics of the individual groups of arthropods (inclusive of the emergency ab undance of pterygote insects) as well as to the detailed analyses of t heir diversity. Weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), representing impo rtant primary consumers, were studied in more detail.