Biodiversity of Carabidae beetles improved in the intercropping system of safflower and chickpea

Intercropping is a sustainable agricultural system that resembles natural ecosystems. Biodiversity plays a vital role in the sustainability of intercropping systems. This study aimed to evaluate carabid beetle biodiversity in different safflower/chickpea intercropping patterns. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with ۱۱ treatments and ۳ replications at the research field of Kurdistan University. Experimental treatments included safflower sole cropping, chickpea sole cropping, a replacement series (۴:۴, ۲:۲, ۱:۱, ۳:۱, and ۱:۳), and an additive series (۲۰% and ۴۰% chickpea in two Situations: between and around safflower rows). In total, ۱۶ Carabidae predator species were collected from Pitfall traps across the culture patterns, with Curtonotus aulicus being the most abundant. The results showed that intercropping significantly influenced Carabidae abundance. Rarefaction curves indicated that, for an equal number of sampled individuals, cropping patterns ۱:۳, ۳:۱, and ۴۰%I had the highest Carabidae diversity, while ۴۰%II and ۴:۴ had the lowest. Additionally, according to the Bray-Curtis similarity index, sole chickpea cultivation and the ۱:۱ pattern (۷۶.۱۹%), followed by the ۳:۱ and ۴۰%I patterns (۷۴.۱۹%), showed the highest similarity in species diversity. Overall, the number of Carabidae species across all intercropping patterns was higher than in sole safflower, indicating a positive response of the Carabidae natural predator population to plant species diversity. However, Carabidae species responded differently to the various intercropping patterns in terms of diversity, richness, and abundance.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ecosystem service ، Rarefaction curve ، Similarity Bray-Curtis index ، Shannon-Wiener index ، Sustainable agriculture ، natural enemy