In memoriam Dr. Konjev Desender (1956-2008), entomologist and evolutionary ecologist

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by  Grootaert, P

Konjev DESENDER (0 31/10/1956- t 9/9/2008)
BULLETIN DE L'INSTITUT ROYAL DES SCIENCES NATURELLES DE BELGIQUE ENTOMOLOGIE, 79: 7-34, 2009
BULLETIN VAN HET KONINKLIJK BELGISCH INSTITUUT VOOR NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN ENTOMOLOGIE, 79: 7-34, 2009
In memoriam Dr. Konjev Desender (1956-2008), entomologist and evolutionary
ecologist
By Patrick GROOTAERT
Born in Poperinge (West-Flanders) on 31 October 19 56, Konjev's studies were brilliant. In 1978 he obtained a
Dr. Konjev Desender passed away on 9 September 2008 license in Zoology ( cf. master degree) at the University
at the age of almost 52 after admirably fighting a long of Ghent with the Greatest Distinction. His master's
illness. His father was an air force pilot, his mother thesis was about the inventory and ecology of faunal
a bank employee. Konjev spent his early youth at elements in the nature reserve 'De Blankaart' (West
Koksyde, an idyllic village at the Flemish coast, far away Flanders). The same year, he obtained a grant of the
from hectic life in the rest of the country. Koksyde with Institute for Encouragement of Scientific Research in
its high dunes and huge sandy beaches where fishermen Industry and Agriculture to start his PhD, but in 1979
on horses went into the sea to catch the grey shrimp he became Fellow of the National Fund for Scientific
( Crangon crangon) and where whales entering the Research (NFWO). In 1987 he obtained his PhD
North Sea sometimes stranded on the huge sandbanks in (DESENDER, 1987) also with the Greatest Distinction.
front of the coast. He grew up in "le plat Pays" with the His thesis was about the evolutionary ecology and the
large empty spaces where wind and clouds rushed over dispersal abilities of ground beetles. After about eight
in winter and nature was still everywhere. This area was years (1982-1990) as Assistant to the chair of Animal
also called "Bachten de kuupe" or "the killing fields Ecology, Zoogeography & Nature Conservation at
of Flanders", where during his youth the memories of the University of Ghent, Konjev joined in 1990 the
the Great Wars were omnipresent: memorials, military Department of Entomology at the Royal Belgian
graveyards, the Yzer tower, barracks, blockhouses and Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels.
military bases. It is a very characteristic region and
Konjev loved his "plat Pays". He went to secondary Since his youth he was interested in biology and
school in the college of Veume (Fumes), but finished nature conservation. His first papers were on birds and
his studies in Kortrijk when his family moved to the sea life, but from 1980 onwards he focused mainly on
South of West-Flanders after his father became director ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and became
of the airstrip ofWevelgem. the authority on ground beetles in Belgium as well as
in Europe. We can see a red line running through his
Since his youth he was interested in nature and in research that had to do with questions about diversity
the area where he grew up, this means birds and sea and nature conservation. What is the diversity of ground
life. He came in contact with Paul Houwen, conservator beetles in Belgium? How does it evolve? How can
of several nature reserves. Paul Houwen was the man this evolution be explained? How can we protect this
who gave a face to nature conservation in this part of diversity? In fact, he called himself an Evolutionary
Flanders by re-introducing herons and cormorants that Ecologist.
were extinct in the fifties. At present, in 2009, herons
and cormorants are everywhere again. Respect for He started his scientific career with faunistics of
nature finally became something tangible and accepted. ground beetles and tried to link it to their ecology. He
The country where he lived and the people he met made the first complete atlases on ground beetles in
impregnated Konjev and they became the background Belgium and motivated many people to share their data.
of his future life. At that time computers did not exist and the dots on the
8 PGROOTAERT
maps, the hundreds of records per species in Belgium
were put manually on the maps. A burden not allowing
mistakes. He was of course one of the first to learn
about GIS (Geographic Information Systems), which
accelerated the process of mapping exponentially.
The next step was the analysis of these data by
making Red Data Books on ground beetles. Which
species disappeared in our country, which species
are threatened, which species are in expansion?
It was the first Red Data Book that was published
by the newly established Flemish "Instituut voor
Natuurbehoud" (Institute for Nature Conservation)
that was transformed in 2006 to INBO or "Instituut
voor N atuur en Bos Onderzoek. It triggered off a series
of site quality assessments and other Red Data Books
Fig. 2. - Jokingly they called themselves the Magnificent 4,
that were all based on hard data and different from the others spoke about the Dalton Brothers. The four
usual bird and butterfly publications. Red Data Books friends from left to right: Jean-Pierre Maelfait (t 6
February 2009), Konjev Desender (t 9 September
2008), Rudiger Claus and Leon Baert visited salt
marshes and dunes at Lombardsyde every fortnight
and that for nearly 20 years, weather or no weather
to sample ground beetles and spiders.
tell us more about the species: what does a species
represent? Is it rare, threatened, where does it occur,
what is its microhabitat, its niche ... or in other words
what is its value? In 2004, he received a new grant
from the Instituut voor N atuurbehoud to re-evaluate
the ground beetle fauna in Flanders and to make at
the same time distribution maps for Belgium. In the
meantime, the Walloon government also asked him to
study the Walloon fauna (DUFRENE & DESENDER, 2007).
Both projects resulted in a beautiful new atlas that was
published just before his death (Fig. 1; DESENDER et
al., 2008a). Unfortunately, he passed away a couple
of months before the publication of the updated Red
List (DESENDER et al., 2008b ). Konjev was very keen
to preserve his data; hence he transmitted his database
with more than 200,000 records of ground beetles in
Belgium and all his photos and ecological data to his
colleagues. We are very grateful for that and so we are
able to build upon his work.
To understand the evolution of the ground beetles in
Belgium, Konjev studied their population dynamics. The
coastal dunes and salt marshes at the Belgian coast were
his preferred study areas. Our Institute has the privilege
to run a small biological station at Lombardsyde and
Fig. 1. - Atlas of the ground beetles in Belgium published
to monitor the insect and spider fauna at this site since
in 2008 forming the base for the updated Red Data
List of the ground beetles in Flanders published 1990. During the almost 20 years presence at that site,
in 2008. he and his colleagues (Fig. 2) sampled the ground beetle
In memoriam Dr. Konjev DESENDER (1956-2008) 9
1
9)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Fig. 3. - Sampling in the coastal dunes at Lombardsyde along a gradient of young toward older dunes, in 5 stations with 3 pit
fall traps per station resulted in nearly 100 species of ground beetles after 15 years sampling (Desender, unpublished
data). Cumulative number of species.
and spider fauna uninterruptedly showing oscillations habitats like forest and heath land where typical species
in species composition and population dynamics as well return only after a long time in the restored habitat, he
as the effect of global warming on these populations. found that re-colonisation was very fast. Marine and
dune arthropods are adapted to a dynamic environment
At the moment, the data of only 15 years have been of ever changing habitats. They returned even within a
analysed. A sampling in 5 stations along a transect year. In addition, a new species of ground beetle turned
from young marram dunes to moss dunes resulted in up that was probably a typical colonizer that cannot
a cumulative number of nearly 100 species of ground compete with other species in a more stable habitat.
beetles (Fig. 3). Annually a mean number of 50 Konjev summarised these findings in some nicely
species was present, however every year about 30% illustrated papers (DESENDER, 2005; DESENDER et a/.,
of the species disappeared and about 30% new species 2006). It is clear that our Institute intends to continue
appeared. This turnover can partly be explained by the his research in that area.
cyclic population dynamics of the species, but also
by dispersal (invading and evading the habitat). His The next and final step in his understanding of
unpublished graphs (Fig. 4) show for a few species ground beetles was his research of the genetics behind it
the ups and downs of the populations. The wavelength all. Population genetics is the modem term used for that
of the cycles varies between 5 and 10 years. These type ofr esearch. He did a fascinating study on the genetic
observations learn us a lot about a representative diversity of salt march ground beetles (DHUYVETTER et
sampling, and that in fact you need several years of al., 2005a; 2005b) and he stimulated several students to
observations to have a real idea about the fauna. try to understand the influence of fragmentation of our
forest habitats on the diversity of genomes of ground
Moreover, there was an important "nature beetles. With that type of study he handed out tools
reconstruction" in the estuary of the river Yzer in 2000 to people responsible in nature conservation trying to
when the Flemish government ordered to pull down old explain how our populations of ground beetles evolve
army barracks, buildings, a small naval base and a ship and which mechanisms are behind it. His fundamental
yard. On the site, new dunes were constructed and a new research was at the service of nature conservation (e.g.
salt marsh developed. This was a unique occasion to DESENDER eta/., 2005a; 2005b ).
study re-colonisation by insects. In contrast to terrestrial
10 P. GROOTAERT
C ala am bi
50
40
30
20
10
0
Bemb lunu
70
eo
50
<D
30
20
10
0
.llmar lud
50
40
30
20
10
0
Fig. 4. - Cyclic variations in population density of three ground beetle species: the wavelength of the peak activity varies
between 5 years in Calathus ambiguus, and 10 years in Amara Iucida. In years with low densities, populations will
be difficult to measure statistically giving the impression of having disappeared (Desender, unpublished data).
Having a large knowledge of the taxonomy of beetles as ecological indicators in Belgian archaeology:
ground beetles in Belgium, he was contacted by the pioneering work ofKonjev Desender".
archaeologists to study remains of beetles that were
found in excavations from old settlements dating from Konjev was not afraid of fieldwork sometimes to
Pre-Roman to Medieval times. Looking at the species the horror of his colleagues when he added another
composition found in e.g. old wells, it was possible to sampling station here and one there (Fig. 5). Not afraid
reconstruct the habitats around these settlements e.g. to work in the mud, the snow and crawling through the
forest, grasslands, heath land etc. a thousand years ago. undergrowth tempting ticks eager for a blood meal and
Anton Ervynck wrote a paper in the present Bulletin at the same time transmitting their parasites causmg
that illustrates this facet of Konjev's work: "Carabid Lyme disease.
''
In memoriam Dr. Konjev DESENDER (1956-2008) 11
He also joined not less than six Belgian expeditions
to the Galapagos Islands. There he studied speciation
phenomena of ground beetles and again his research
was in the scope of evolutionary ecology and of nature
conservation (e.g. DESENDER eta!., 2006).
Besides his interest for coastal fauna, he was also
the driver behind a team of researchers and students in
the Entomology Department around forest biology (Fig.
6). Studies were done to determine indicator species for
soil quality in forests. These data were than applied
again in site quality assessment.
Konjev had a broad interest and published in various
domains. He classified himself his studies into these
Fig. 6. - A moment of rest on a field trip for a study of
fields so that one would come up immediately to the
fragmentation and forest history on genetics
papers he was looking for (see annexe 1, page 13). He of ground beetles: from left to right: Dr. Hilde
published more than 350 scientific papers and attended Dhuyvetter, Dr. Konjev Desender and Mr. Alain
about 100 scientific meetings, always with several oral Drumont his technical assistant.
or poster presentations. His list of scientific papers can
be found in annexe 2 (page 16) while his list of reports
is compiled in annexe 3 (page 32). Unfortunately, he
did not leave us a list of his congress abstracts.
Selected Bibliography
Konjev was a very dynamic person whose DESENDER, K., 1987. Bemonsteringsmethodologie, Levenscy
enthusiasm for research, for science, charmed and clus, en Evolutionaire Ecologie van het Dispersievermo
stimulated many students, masters and PhD students gen bij Loopkevers (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Doctoraats
as well as his co-researchers. His passing away is a big verhandeling, R.U. Gent. Dee! I: Tekst (346 pp); Dee! II:
loss for entomology. We will always remember him as Tabellen en Figuren; Dee! III: Bijlagen.
a very genuine person, a brilliant scientist and a very DESENDER, K., 2005. Ground beetle diversity monitoring
good friend. and the evaluation of a recent nature restoration project: A
long-term case study in dune and salt marsh habitats along
the Belgian coast. In: SERRANO, J., J. GoMEz-ZURITA, C. Rutz
(Eds). XII European Carabidologists Meeting, 'Ground
beetles as a key group for biodiversity conservation studies
in Europe'.Nausicaa Edicion Electronica, Murcia, Spain:
29-38.
DESENDER, K., MAES, D., MAELFAIT, J.-P. & M. VAN
KERCKVOORDE, M., 1995. Een gedocumenteerde Rode lijst
van de zandloopkevers en loopkevers van Vlaanderen.
Mededelingen van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud 1995.
208 pp.
DESENDER, K. & ERVYNCK, A., 2002. Landschapsreconstructie
op basis van de resten van loopkevers. In: CooREMANS, B.,
DESENDER, K., ERVYNCK, A., & ScHELVIS, J. Onderzoek van
plantaardige en dierlijke resten uit een Romeinse waterput
van de vindplaats 'Refuge' te Sint-A.ndries, Brugge (prov.
West-Vlaanderen): economie en ecologie. Archeologie in
Vlaanderen VI, 199711998: 209-229.
DESENDER, K., SMALL, E., GAUBLOMM£, E. & VERDYCK, P.,
2005a. Rural-urban gradients and the population genetic
structure of woodland ground beetles. Conservation Genetics
Fig. 5. - Konjev collecting ground beetles in the salt marshes. 7: 1-12.
''
12 P. GROOTAERT
DESENDER, K., GAUBLOMME, E., DHUYVETIER, H. & VERDYCK, VAN IMPE, L., IN 'T YEN, 1., DE PAEPE, P., ERVYNCK, A. & K.
P., 2005b. Interaction between regional forest history, DESENDER, 2005. Invading tribes, advancing forests. A witness
ecology and conservation genetics of Carabus problematicus of the decline of economic activity in Flanders, circa 200 AD.
in Flanders (Belgium). In: LovEI, G.L., ToFT, S. (Eds.) Studien zur Sachsenforschung 15: 287-305.
Carabidology 2003. Proceedings of the 11th European
Carabidologists' Meeting, Arhus, July 2003. Reports of the
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS Reports),
Slagelse, Denmark: 73-87. Patrick GROOTAERT
Head Department of Entomology
DESENDER, K., BAERT, L. & J.P. MAELFAIT, 2006. Evaluation
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
of recent nature development measures in the river IJzer
Vautierstraat 29
estuary and long-term ground beetle and spider monitoring
1000 Brussels
(Coleoptera, Carabidae; Araneida). Bulletin van het
Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen,
Entomologie 76: 103-122.
DESENDER, K.R.C. & S.B. PECK, 2006. Family Carabidae, The
Predaceous Ground Beetles and Tiger Beetles. In: PECK, S.B. Carabid Beetles
The Beetles of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Evolution,
Ecology and Evolution
Ecology, and Diversity (Insecta: Coleoptera). NRC Research
Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: p. 101-117.
DESENDER,, K., DEKONINCK, W. & MAEs, D. m.m.v. E<litedby
K. DESENDER, M. DUFRENE, M. LOREAU, M. L LUFF AND J.p, MAELFAIT
CREVECOEUR, L., DUFRENE, M., JACOBS, M., LAMBRECHTS,
J., POLLET, M., STASSEN, E. &THYS, N., 2008. Een nieuwe
verspreidingsatlas van de· loopkevers en zandkloopkevers
(Carabidae) in Belgie. Rapporten van het Instituut voor
Natuur- en Bosonderzoek 2008 (INBO.R.2008.13). Instituut
voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek & Koninklijk Belgisch
Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Brussel. 184 pp.
DESENDER, K., DEKONINCK, W. & D. MAEs, 2008. An updated
Red List of the ground and tiger beetles (Coleoptera,
Carabidae) in Flanders (Belgium). Bulletin van het Koninklijk
Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie,
78: 113-131.
DHUYVETIER, H., GAUBLOMME, E. & K. DESENDER, 2005.
Bottlenecks, drift and differentiation: the fragmented
population structure of the saltmarsh beetle Pogonus
chaleeus. Genetica 124: 167-177.
DHUYVETIER, H., GAUBLOMME, E., VERDYCK, P. & K. DESENDER,
2005. Genetic Differentiation among populations of the
saltmarsh beetiePogonus littoralis (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a Kluwer Academic Publishers
comparison between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations.
Journal ofH eredity 96:381-387.
Fig. 7. - The book: Carabid beetles: ecology and evolution
DUFRENE M. & DESENDER K., 2007. Rapport analytique sur published in 1994 as the result of the "2nd
l'etat de l'environnement Wallon 2006-2007. L'erosion de Ia Intemational Symposium of Carabidology" held
biodiversite: les carabides: 596-597. in Brussels 1-4 September 1992.
''
In memoriam Dr. Konjev DESENDER (1956-2008) 13
Annexe 1. DESENDER, K., 2000. Flight muscle development and
dispersal in the life cycle of carabid beetles: patterns and
Major scientific interests and current projects processes. Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor
Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie, 70: 13-31.
(+funding and collaborations and selected
publications)
3. Bio2eo2raphy. ecolo2)' and Red data on Bel2ian
1. Evolution and conservation of beetles in the
carabid beetles
Gahipa2os Archipela2o (Ecuador)
knowledge on insect distribution, protection of
fundamental ecological and genetic research with
threatened habitats/species
applications for international nature conservation
financed by KBIN and 'Vlaamse Gemeenschap',
financed by FWO, Federal Government, KBIN and
mainly in collaboration with Prof. Dr. JP Maelfait and
Leopold III fonds; collaboration (national) with Dr.
Dr. D. Maes (IN)
L. Baert, Dr. P. Verdyck (K.B.I.N.) and Prof. Dr. JP
Maelfait, (international) with Charles Darwin Research
DESENDER, K. & TuRIN, H., 1989. Loss of habitats and changes
Station (resident Entomologist L. Rocque) and
in the composition of the ground-and tiger beetle fauna in four
"Servicio Parque Nacional de Galapagos" (Santa Cruz,
West-European countries since 1950 (Coleoptera: Carabidae
Galapagos, Ecuador), Prof. Dr. S.B. Peck (Carleton
Cicindelidae). Biological Conservation, 48: 277-294. '
University, Ottawa, Canada), Drs. H. & I. Schatz
DESENDER, K., MAES, D., MAELFAIT, J.-P. & M. VAN
(Institiit fur Zoologie, Innsbruck, Oostenrijk).
KERCKVOORDE, M., 1995. Een gedocumenteerde Rode lijst
van de zandloopkevers en loopkevers van Vlaanderen.
DESENDER, K., MAELFAIT, J.-P., BAERT, L. & VERDYCK, P.,
Mededelingen van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud 1995 (1):
1999. Conservation on Yo lean A1cedo (Galapagos): terrestrial
1-208.
invertebrates and the impact of introduced feral goats.
Biological Conservation, 87:303-310. DESENDER, K., DEKONlNCK, W. & D. MAES, 2008. An updated
Red List of the ground and tiger beetles (Coleoptera,
DESENDER, K., & VERDYCK, P, 2000. Genetic differentiation
Carabidae) in Flanders (Belgium). Bulletin van het Koninklijk
in the Galapagos caterpillar hunter Calosoma granatense
Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie,
(Coleoptera, Carabidae). In: BRANDMAYR, P. et a!. (ed.).
78: 113-131.
Natural History and Applied Ecology of Carabid Beetles.
Pensoft Publishers, Sofia, Moscow: 25-34. DESENDER, K., DEKONINCK, W. & MAEs, D. m.m.v.
CREVECOEUR, L., DUFRENE, M., JACOBS, M., LAMBRECHTS,
DESENDER, K., 2001. Illustrated key to the genera of ground
J., POLLET, M., STAEN, E. & THYs, N., 2008. Een nieuwe
and tiger beetles of Galapagos (Coleoptera, Carabidae).
verspreidingsatlas van de loopkevers en zandkloopkevers
Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor
(Carabidae) in Belgie. Rapporten van het Instituut voor
Natuurwetenschappen, Entomologie, 71: 257-262.
Natuur- en Bosonderzoek 2008 (INBO.R.2008.13). Instituut
DESENDER, K.R.C. & S.B PECK, 2006. Family Carabidae, The voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek & Koninklijk Belgisch
Predaceous Ground Beetles and Tiger Beetles. In: PECK, S.B. Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Brussel. 184 pp.
The Beetles of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Evolution,
Ecology, and Diversity (Insecta: Coleoptera). NRC Research
Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: p. 101-117.
4. Case studies on the practical use of carabid beetles
in bio-indicator projects and nature conservation:
2. Samplin2 methodolo2J. biometrics and population
Long term monitoring of beetles and spiders in
2enetics of carabid beetles
coastal dunes:
in collaboration with scientists in France (Montpellier,
insect and spider population dynamics studied
Nogent) and Germany (Osnabriick, Munster)
continuously since 1990
Financed by RBINS, MONAY in collaboration with
DESENDER, K. & MAELFAIT, J.-P., 1986. Pitfall trapping within
Dr. L. Baert and Dr. P. Grootaert (RBINS), Dr. J.-P.
enclosures: a method for estimating the relationship between
Maelfait (INBO, Brussels)
the a?undance of coexisting carabid species (Coleoptera,
Carab1dae). Holarctic Ecology, 9: 245-250.
DESENDER, K., 1996. Diversity and dynamics of coastal dune
DESENDER, K., 1988. Spatial distribution ofCarabid beetles in a carabids. Annates Zoologici Fennici, 33 (1): 65-76.
pasture. Revue d'Ecologie et Biologie du Sol, 25(1): 101-113.
II
14 P. GROOTAERT
DESENDER., K., BAERT, L. & JP MAELFAIT, 2006. Evaluation Beetle diversity and historical ecology of forests in
of recent nature development measures in the river IJzer Flanders
estuary and long-term ground beetle and spider monitoring How does forest history influence invertebrate diversity
(Coleoptera, Carabidae; Araneida). Bulletin van het
and evolution?
Koninklijk Belgisch lnstituut voor Natuwwetenschappen,
in collaboration with Dr. A. Ervynck (archaeo-zoologist
Entomologie 76: 103-122.
lAP) and G. Tack (forest historical ecologist, M&L);
DWTC action 1 project started in 2005
Archaeozoology: beetle remains from old wells
(Flanders)
DESENDER., K., ERVYNCK, A., & TACK, G., 1999. Beetle diversity
identified beetle fauna allows reconstruction off ormer
and historical ecology of woodlands in Flanders. Belgian
landscape Journal ofZoology, 129: 139-156.
in collaboration with Dr. A. Ervynck (archaeo-zoologist
lAP)
5. Habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity/
differentiation in forest and saltmarsh beetles
ERVYNCK, A., DESENDER, K., PIETERS, M., BUNGENEERS, J.,
at a regional (Flanders and Belgium) and Euro
1994. Carabid beetles as palaeo-ecological indicators in
Mediterranean geographic scale
archaeology. In: DESENDER., K. et a!. (eds), Carabid beetles:
ecology and evolution, Kluwer Academic Publishers, funding by KBIN, 'Vlaamse Gemeenschap' (FWO- and
Dordrecht, Boston, London, pp. 261-266. VLINA-projects); in collaboration with several belgian
scientists of KBIN, RUG, IN, RUCA, VUB, KUL; and
Dr. P. Zulka (Univ. Vienna), Dr. J.Y. Rasplus (Univ.
Site assessment studies based on ground beetles in Montpellier), Dr. Th. Assmann (Univ. Osnabmck) and
different habitat types of Flanders Prof. Dr. F. Weber (Univ. Mtmster)
management of reedbeds and marshland in cultivated
areas, management of motorway verges, Forest of ZonH~n & Urban forests in the region of
fire and heath/and management,saltmarsh restoration Brussels:
studies studies on ecological and genetic effects of
urbanisation on beetles, within the context of a global
DES ENDER, K., BosMANS, R., 1998. Ground beetles (Coleoptera, network('Globenet ')
Carabidae) on set-aside fields in the Campine region and their
importance for nature conservation in Flanders (Belgium). DESENDER., K., SMALL, E., GAUBLOMME, E. & VERDYCK, P.,
Biodiversity and Conservation, 7: 1485-1493. 2005. Rural-urban gradients and the population genetic
structure of woodland ground beetles. Conservation Genetics
DESENDER, K., MAELFAIT, J.-P., 1999. Diversity and
7: 1-12.
conservation of terrestrial arthropods in tidal marshes
along the River Schelde: a gradient analysis. Biological
Conservation, 87:221-229.
Population genetics of beetles in W-European and
Mediterranean saltmarshes differing in age and
Rio-indication projects in woodlands of Flanders,
size:
Beetles as indicators for forest soil quality
fundamental research with applications for nature
how to conserve and manage regional forest reserves
conservation
TWOL-project, financed by 'Vlaamse Gemeenschap', in
collaboration with several scientists of IBW
DESENDER, K., 1989. Heritability of wing development and
body size in a Carabid beetle, Pogonus chalceus Marsham, and
DESENDER, K., DE BAKKER, D., VERSTEIRT, V. & B. DE Vos,
its evolutiona1y significance. Oecologia (Berlin), 78: 513-520.
2002. A baseline study on forest ground beetle diversity and
assemblages in Flanders (Belgium). In: SzvszKo, J., DEN DESENDER, K., Backeljau, Th., DeLahaye, K. & De MEESTER, L.,
BoER, P.J., & BAUER, Th. (eds.). How to protect or what we 1998. Age and size of European saltmarshes and the population
!mow about Carabid Beetles. Agric. Univ. Press, Warsaw: genetic consequences for ground beetles. Oecologia, 114:503-
237-245. 513.
I I
In memoriam Dr. Konjev DESENDER (1956-2008) 15
DESENDER, K., & VERDYCK, P., 2001. Geographic scaling
K.B.I.N.
and genetic differentiation in two highly mobile European Dept. Entomologie
m u u m
saltmarsh beetles. Belgian Journal ofZ oology, 131: 29-40. Sf!! Federale diensten voor wetenschappelijke,
technische en culturele aangelegendheden
DHUYVETIER, H., GAUBLOMME, E., DESENDER, K., 2004. Genetic
I.N. Vlaamse Gemeenschap
differentiation and local adaptation in the saltmarsh beetle
Pogonus chalceus: a comparison between allozyme and
microsatellite loci. Molecular Ecology 13:1065-1074.
DHUYVETIER, H., GAUBLOMME, E. & K. DESENDER, 2005.
Bottlenecks, drift and differentiation: the fragmented
population structure of the saltmarsh beetle Pogonus
chalceus. Genetica 124: 167-177.
DHUYVETIER, H., GAUBLOMME, E., VERDYCK, P. & K. DESENDER,
2005. Genetic Differentiation among populations of the
saltmarsh beetle Pogonus littorali s (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a
comparison between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations.
Journal ofH eredity 96:381-387.
DHUYVETIER, H., HENDR!CKX, F., GAUBLOMME, E. & K.
DESENDER, 2007. Differentiation between two salt marsh
beetle ecotypes: evidence for ongoing speciation. Evolution
61: 184-193.
Forest history, habitat fragmentation and genetics of
European ground beetles Konjev Desender
how to protect or improve fragmented forests in a Wouter Dekoninck
Leon Baert
cultivated landscape
Patrick Grootaert
DESENDER, K., GAUBLOMME, E., VERDYCK, P., DHUYVETIER,
Jean-Pierre Mae/fait
H. & DE Vos, B. 2004. Ecology and population genetics
of Carabus problematicus in Flanders (Belgium): is forest
Rapport ENT.2004.01 ~ 'J~
history important? In: HoNNAY, 0., BossuYT, B., VERHEYEN, K. Y."''
Oktober 2004
& HERMY, M. (ed.). Forest Biodiversity: Lessons from History ~~
for Conservation. IUFRO res. Series. CAB International, studie uitgevoerd in opdracht van AMINAL, eel NTMB
Oxon, UK. 117-128.
Fig. 8. - A sample of one of the many reports made on site
GAUBLOMME, E., HENDRICKX, F., DHUYVETIER, H. & DESENDER, quality assessment: Effect of management of the
K, 2008. The effects of forest patch size and matrix type motorway verges of the ring around Brussels on
on changes in carabid beetle assemblages in an urbanized the invertebrate fauna.
landscape. Biological Conservation 141: 2585-2596.