Habitat diversity analysis along an altitudinal sequence of alpine habitats: the Carabid beetle assemblages as a study model

Abstract

Background and purpose. Species traits have been extensively used by botanists to describe, group and rank species according to their functions. Recently, the multi-trait approach has been extended also to the animal assemblages. There is now growing evidence that interspecific traits-variability can have significant effects on community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. The aim of our study was to describe how the carabid species traits change in relation to an altitudinal sequence of habitat types.