The carabids (Coleoptera Carabidae) of the new established "Foresta Carpaneta" (Italy, Lombardy) - the first 14 years (2006/2007 and 2020/2021) of a long term monitoring project

Between 2003 and 2006, the Regional Agency for Services to Agriculture and Forestry of Lombardy planted a new forest in the province of Mantua (San Giorgio Bigarello), the "Foresta Carpaneta". One aim for this new forest is to associate the conservation of biodiversity and recreational activities. To investigate the evolution of biological diversity of the "Foresta Carpaneta", carabids were one of the groups chosen, because they are good biological indicator for forest habitats. Pitfall traps were placed in two sites in the years 2006/07 and 2020/21. In the first sampling period, when the forest was still very young and open, an average of 23.5 species were caught at each site. All species caught were typical for open grasslands, ecotones, pioneer vegetation and fields. In 2020/21, in the now more mature forest an average of only 9 species were collected in each site. This decrease in species richness was accompanied by a considerable difference in the composition of the carabid fauna. During the second sampling period two forest generalists were caught for the first time: Notiophilus rufipes Curtis 1829 and Pterostichus (Platysma) niger niger (Schaller 1783). However, carabid species that depend on mature forest stands were absent. These species, which generally disperse poorly, can only arrive from old forests. However, the "Foresta Carpaneta" is separated from the nearest old forest by fields, streets, urban centres and industrial areas, which are barriers for the dispersal of forest specialist carabids. These results suggest that complete forest communities will not autonomously establish in the "Foresta Carpaneta" in the foreseeable future.