Leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) collected in naturally regenerating broad-leaved forests and conifer plantations of different stand ages in temperate Japan

Abstract

Leaf beetles, which are almost exclusively phytophagous insects, were collected using Malaise traps in ten regenerated broad-leaved stand plots (1–178 years old) and eight Cryptomeria japonica conifer plantation plots (3–76 years old) every two weeks from April to November in the north of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. We provide collection data showing the biweekly catch at each plot. A total of 129 species (22,172 individuals) and 102 species (10,324 individuals) were collected in the broad-leaved plots in 2002 and conifer plantation plots in 2003, respectively. In both groups of plots, species richness was higher in younger stands than older stands. Beetle abundance (the number of individuals) was highest in spring, while species richness peaked in July.