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Journal of Insect Conservation, vol.9, no.3, pp.201-206, 2005 (Scopus)
Adult activity and larval development of Lophyridia concolor (Dejean) was examined in three sections of a marine beach: (1) an undisturbed section; (2) a section occasionally used by tourists; and (3) a heavily disturbed beach section. Although the activity of adult tiger beetles was similar at all three sites in spring, it diverged during the tourist season. The adults reached a high activity with two maxima on the natural beach, but it was 40% lower in the occasionally used section. The adult activity decreased abruptly without visible maxima in the tourist area. Larval activities showed similar trends. First and second instar larvae were practically absent from the heavily disturbed section. The reduced tiger beetle activity was most likely caused by disturbance and modification of habitat by the tourists. Mechanisms of this impairment are discussed. The results might be of importance for several beach inhabiting invertebrates in the Mediterranean area. Persistently high levels of tourist traffic on beaches might lead to local extirpation, as the decline of Lophyridia a. aphrodisia (Baudi), another Turkish tiger beetle species, shows. © Springer 2005.