Article

Victor V. Aleksanov, PhD, Main Specialist in Parks Directorate of Kaluga Region (248000, Russia, Kaluga, Zavodskaya Street, 57); iD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4584-8457; e-mail: victor_alex@list.ru

Aleksanov V.V. 2025. Distribution of Orthoptera across the river valley (Kaluga-Aleksin canyon, European Russia) and their dynamics under the overgrowing of meadows Nature Conservation Research 10(3): 11–33. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2025.015

Orthoptera insects (hereinafter – orthopterans) play a key role in grassland ecosystems and are often used as indicators of their condition. To conserve these insects and to model their habitat preferences, we need to know patterns of their distribution and dynamics in any landscape. We surveyed orthopterans on a narrow and deep sub-latitudinal stretch of the River Oka valley downstream from Kaluga town. Most of the study area is included in a regional Protected Area, namely Kaluga-Aleksin Canyon Valley Natural Monument (Russia). The insects were registered using acoustic observations, sweepnets, and pitfall traps. In total, we surveyed 44 sample plots from ten localities and counted 36 405 specimens. We identified 31 species. The most frequent species were Chorthippus dorsatus, Ch. biguttulus, Pseudochorthippus parallelus, and Euthystira brachyptera, but the most abundant species was Chorthippus mollis. Dry short-grass meadows on the first fluvial terrace were preferred habitats for Chorthippus mollis, Omocestus haemorrhoidalis, Stenobothrus lineatus, and Bicolorana bicolor. Tall-grass meadows on fluvial terraces were the main habitats for Chorthippus dorsatus. Steep slopes overgrown by tall-grass meadows with steppe forbs were the most favourable habitats for Phaneroptera falcata, Chorthippus apricarius, and Euthystira brachyptera. Flat watershed slopes were preferred by Decticus verrucivorus and Pseudochorthippus parallelus. Conocephalus fuscus preferred flooded meadows, while Roeseliana roeselii preferred tall-grass sites in both floodplains and on slopes. In the river valley, Chorthippus biguttulus was observed mainly along roads and on other disturbed sites. Modicogryllus frontalis was associated with limestone and clay dumps in quarries. Oedipoda caerulescens was found in old sand quarries. Psophus stridulus occurred only on the first fluvial terrace overgrown with dry meadow and birch forest. Gomphocerippus rufus was found only on the tall-grass edge of xeromesic oak forest. Chorthippus brunneus was revealed only in a dry pine forest with bare soil. Calliptamus italicus was observed only in a lichen heath. Leptophyes albovittata was sampled only in the eastern part of the study area. There were no differences between assemblages of orthopterans on the left and the right banks of the River Oka. In orthopteran assemblages, the first fluvial terraces were opposed to the second fluvial terraces and to flat watershed slopes on both riverbanks. Between 2002 and 2023, some meadows were overgrown with tall grasses. Consequently, the diversity and abundance of orthopterans decreased in a meadow on the steep slope of the valley (from 20 to 13 species). In contrast, the first fluvial terrace retained all rare and stenotopic thermophilic species, and orthopteran abundance and diversity increased (from 12 to 20 species). The loss of traditional agricultural and recreational land use threatens the diversity of orthopterans.

Continental biogeoregion, crickets, fluvial terrace, grasshoppers, katydids, natural monument, quarry, river valley, short-grass meadow, tall-grass meadow

Received: 25.02.2025. Revised: 06.07.2025. Accepted: 26.07.2025.

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