We studied assemblages of carabids in eight similar habitats, five in Slovakia and three in Serbia. The ground beetles were caught by pitfall traps from February 2015 until November 2016. We compared the incidence of Carabidae in floodplain forests and ecotones alongside the River Danube in Slovakia and the Rivers Tisza and Begej in Serbia. We determined their association with anthropogenic effects,diversity of plants in the different vegetation layers, cover of vegetation layers (herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees), area of forest stands, circumference of forest stands, distance to forest edge, age of forest stands, depth of leaf litter and physico-chemical properties of soil and leaf litter (conductivity, pH, relative content of H, C, P and N). In total, 2,495 adult individuals of 110 species of carabids were collected. The total epigeic activity of the carabids was significantly and positively associated with the number of species of plants in E₃ vegetation layer and the relative content of N, and negatively with the cover of the E₁ layer. Species richness was significantly positively associated with the number of species of plants in the E₃ layer and the pH of leaf litter, but an opposite trend in evenness.

City parks serve as valuable refuges for invertebrates in the urban environment, which are constantly exposed to human influence caused by management practices in the parks. Many harvestman species are suitable bioindicators for monitoring ecological change; however, their effective use in environmental assessment necessitates to expand the insufficient knowledge of ecological environmental specificities of their communities. We studied the diversity and dynamics of harvestman (Opiliones) communities in the historical park in Rusovce, situated in the southwestern part of Bratislava (Slovakia). Seven study sites were investigated, representing areas subjected to different management practices. The research was conducted from March 2019 to April 2020, using pitfall traps. We evaluated the impact of microclimatic variables (soil and air temperature), environmental characteristics (plant diversity and cover of vegetation layers, age of forest stands, thickness of the litter layer), and management practices on the structure of harvestman communities. The study revealed the response of specific harvestman species to temperature variations, emphasizing the importance of microclimatic conditions. Environmental variables, such as the richness of plant species in the shrub layer, the cover of the herb and shrub vegetation layers, and the age of the forest stands, were identified as key factors that influence the dispersal of harvestman species. Furthermore, management practices, especially the presence of monoculture tree plantations, significantly affected the species composition of harvestmen. Examining the sensitivity of Opiliones, important bioindicators, to these factors is crucial for implementing effective conservation strategies in urban green spaces and anthropogenically influenced ecosystems.

Although harvestmen are a significant group of terrestrial invertebrates, their effective protection has not been ensured in Slovakia to this day. Not a single species belonging to the order Opiliones has been included in the “Red Data Book of threatened and rare plant and animal species of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic”. Harvestmen have also not been included in the Red List of plants and animals of Slovakia. Since a new Red Data Book of invertebrates of Slovakia is currently under production, a checklist and the first Red List of harvestmen of Slovakia were prepared. Thirty-five species of harvestmen were identified based on the analysis of all records published since 1873 and our unpublished records. A total of 5,254 records of harvestman species from 2,772 locations were analysed across 318 grid cells, each measuring 10 × 10 km. Two species were recorded exclusively in the Pannonian and six in the Alpine biogeographical region, while the remaining species occurred in both regions. All 35 species were assessed based on the current IUCN Red List criteria, categorising them as follows: Critically Endangered (Holoscotolemon jaqueti), Endangered (Siro carpaticus), Vulnerable (Gyas titanus, Ischyropsalis manicata, Paranemastoma kochii, Paranemastoma quadripunctatum), Near Threatened (Lacinius dentiger, Lacinius horridus, Opilio parietinus, Platybunus pallidus), Least Concern (22 species), Data Deficient (2), and Not Evaluated (1). A brief overview of the history of Opiliones research in Slovakia is also provided.

Pitfall traps provide a cost-effective method of studying the diversity and abundance of ground-dwelling arthropods, such as beetles and spiders. Their efficiency depends on factors such as size, shape, and substances used to kill or preserve the specimens. Entomologists often employ covers on pitfall traps to prevent dilution of fixation liquids or keep the traps open. In this study, we investigated whether the presence or absence of covers, as well as their colour (black versus translucent), over pitfall traps has an impact on the species diversity and abundance of carabid beetles and harvestmen. These arthropods serve as common examples of ground-dwelling invertebrates, both in forest and meadow environments. Our findings revealed that traps with black-coloured coverings captured significantly higher numbers of beetles than translucent traps, but the uncovered traps were not significantly different from the two. The species richness tended to be highest in uncovered traps. The uncovered traps were the most efficient in capturing adult harvestmen, followed by translucent and black covers in terms of adult harvestmen abundance and diversity. In conclusion, the use of covers on pitfall traps significantly affects the estimates of arthropod abundance and should be taken into account in future research.