Landscape type affects the functional diversity of carabid beetles in agricultural landscapes

Agricultural intensification and expansion has been suggested to be a major driver of the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Recent studies have shown that landscape‐level effects in addition to on‐site management are of significant importance for insect declines. We here compared carabid beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) assemblages of wet meadows among three pairs of highly fragmented ‘modern’ and less fragmented ‘traditional’ agricultural landscapes, using pitfall trapping. Taxonomic diversity and abundance of Carabidae did not differ between modern and traditional landscapes, whereas the proportions of brachypterous, large‐bodied, and habitat specialist species were lower in modern compared to traditional landscapes. These results suggest that landscape type affects functional rather than taxonomic carabid beetle diversity, based on species turnover. To preserve functional diversity in agricultural landscapes, conservation strategies should consider the landscape level in addition to on‐site management, by securing connectivity between remnants of semi‐natural habitats.