@phdthesis{Gu2014, author = {Gu, Xiaoying}, title = {Animal biodiversity and food web restoration based on large vertebrate carcasses}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-30752}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Carcasses of large vertebrate animals are integral elements in the natural environment. The aim of the present study is to clarify the relation between large carcasses and local ecosystems. It has been investigated which and how many animals are directly or indirectly involved into the carcass decomposition process, and whether there is a succession of community pattern during different carcass decomposition stages. A special focus was on the question how the temporal and the spatial distribution of arthropods are influenced by the carcass and its properties. A new classification of decomposition stages is proposed based on a new openness index for a carcass. Three carcass food web models for the research area were composed dependent on different seasons in the course of the year: Carcass exposed in spring, summer, and winter, respectively. Subsequently, the feasibility of using carcasses as a tool for food web restoration on a regional scale has been discussed. From 2009 to 2011, in total, nine different carcasses from Meles meles, Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, and Sus scrofa were exposed in the research area, a former military training area situated in Eastern Germany. Pitfall traps were used to collect arthropods visiting the carcasses. Bird's and Mammal's attendance have been detected by automatic cameras and direct observation. In total, more than 112,000 arthropods from 25 taxa were identified. For Coleoptera Silphidae, Geotrupidae, Trogidae, Staphylinidae (partly) and Heteroptera the investigation could be carried out on species level. The existence of carcasses in the research area significantly increased arthropod diversity and abundance. Long term exposed carcasses significantly influenced vertebrates occurrence, vegetation and the surrounding soil as to diversity and various environmental conditions, respectively. The main consumers of carcasses in summer were various arthropods, Corvus corax and Haliaeetus albicilla. Besides the already well-known carrion arthropods, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Apocrita were observed using carcasses directly. In winter, the main consumers of carcasses were Sus scrofa, Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus, Corvus corax, and Haliaeetus albicilla. By multivariate analysis it could be shown that the main factors influencing the occurrences of arthropods are the weight and the degree of openness of the carcass, and the main factor for the carcasses decomposition process is the openness index of the carcass. Carcass exposition is a cheap and efficient method to use large wild games which did not die from disease for the food web restoration in the research area.}, subject = {Germany; Wiederherstellung nat{\"u}rlicher Nahrungsnetze; Dekomposition; Arthropoda; Gr{\"o}ßere Vertebraten-Tierkadaver; Deutschland; Large vertebrate animal carcasses; Decomposition process; Arthropods; Food web restoration; Lieberoser Heide; Kadaver; Boden{\"o}kologie}, language = {en} } @misc{KlonowskiRoessler2012, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Klonowski, Bastian and R{\"o}ßler, Annett}, title = {Einfluss eines Dachskadavers auf Bodenparameter und Collembolenz{\"o}nose}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus-27731}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Auf der alten sowjetischen Deponie in der Lieberoser Heide wurde im Juni 2009 ein Dachskadaver ausgelegt. Nach der vollst{\"a}ndigen Skelettierung im August desselben Jahres erfolgte eine erste Erfassung ausgew{\"a}hlter Bodenparameter. Die Zweitbeprobung fand im Juni 2010 statt, wobei hier außerdem eine Aufnahme von Collembolen, Milben und der Vegetation erfolgte. Das Probenahmedesign bestand aus einem Probenpunkt im Zentrum sowie 4 nach Norden, Osten, S{\"u}den bzw. Westen ausgerichteten Teiltransekten mit jeweils 14 aufeinanderfolgenden Probenpunkten und einer in 1 m Abstand folgenden Außenprobe. Bei den Bodenparametern wurden pH-Wert, Wassergehalt, organische Substanz, Nitratstickstoff, Ammoniumstickstoff, Diphosphorpentoxid und Leitf{\"a}higkeit analysiert. Die Extraktion der Fauna orientierte sich an dem Prinzip von Macfayden. Die Proben enthielten 7.606 Collembolen aus 14 Arten. Es handelte sich {\"u}berwiegend um Exemplare von Hypogastrura vernalis. Die Milben, 7.197 Tiere, wurden nur quantitativ erfasst. Anhand verschiedener statistischer Tests (SPSS, Canoco) wurde ermittelt, welche Bodenparameter signifikante Unterschiede zur Umgebung aufweisen. Sowohl pH-Wert als auch Humusgehalt zeigten weder bei der 1. noch bei der 2. Beprobung Abweichungen an. Bei Leitf{\"a}higkeit und Wassergehalt waren die Werte 2009 in der N{\"a}he des Zentrums erh{\"o}ht, 1 Jahr sp{\"a}ter jedoch nicht mehr. Erh{\"o}hte Ammoniumstickstoffwerte waren nur 2009 nachweisbar. Beim Nitratstickstoff konnten 2009 h{\"o}here Gehalte auf der ehemaligen Liegefl{\"a}che des Kadavers gemessen werden, die jedoch 2010 deutlich geringer ausfielen. Diphosphorpentoxid zeigte eine {\"a}hnliche Entwicklung, wobei die Differenzen zwischen beiden Jahren merklich geringer waren.}, subject = {Lieberoser Heide; Kadaver; Boden{\"o}kologie; Springschw{\"a}nze; Aas; Kadaver; Collembolen; Bodenparameter; Lieberoser Heide; Carrion; Carcass; Springtails; Soil parameters; Lieberoser Heide}, language = {de} }