The Ecology of Commanster
Ecological Relationships Among More Than 7800 Species


Commanster: A Small Village in the Belgian High Ardennes
Latitude: 50° 15' 20" N
Longitude: 5° 59' 58" E
Altitude: 490-590m, between the Meuse and Rhine River Basins
Average Temperature: 0°C (Winter), 15°C (Summer)
Average Annual Precipitation: 1300mm
Population: 60 Inhabitants
Pictures provide links showing ecological relationships.
CLICK ON THE PHOTOS!
(Except landscapes like those below, and a species on its homepage)

Important Caveat

Activity Zones

 Maps and Some History
 Village
 Farmland
 Le Grand Bois
 Natagora Reserves

Biotopes

  Forest
Alder-Birch-Willow (Wet)
Beech
Spruce
   Hedge Rows
   Meadows
   Wet Meadows
   Heath and Moorland
   Peat Bogs and Mires
   Streams and Springs
   Ponds
   Buildings and Gardens
   Species Richness of Biotopes:
Biotope % of all Species Biotope % of all Species
Wet Forest 11% Heaths, Moors   4%
Beech Forest 19% Bogs, Mires   3%
Spruce Forest 24% Streams, Springs   3%
Hedge Rows 48% Ponds   5%
Meadows 19% Buildings, Gardens   7%
Wet Meadows   8%  

Microhabitats

   Dung
   Dead Animals
   Plant Litter
   Dead Wood
   Fungi
   Temporary Pools
   Bare Ground
   Stones, Concrete

Environmental Threats

  Habitat Destruction
  Exotic Species
  Pollution
  Some Proposals

Species Lists with Translations

 Animals (Kingdom Animalia) Vertebrates (Phylum Chordata) Mammals (Class Mammalia)
Birds (Class Aves)
Reptiles (Class Reptilia)
Amphibians (Class Amphibia)
Fish (Classes Actinopterygii, Cephalaspidomorphi)
Invertebrates Phylum Arthropoda Insects (Class Insecta) Beetles (Order Coleoptera)
Flies (Order Diptera)
Aphids, Bugs, and Hoppers (Order Hemiptera)
Ants, Bees, Sawflies, and Wasps (Order Hymenoptera) Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)
Dragonflies (Order Odonata)
Crickets and Grasshoppers (Order Orthoptera)
Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera)
Earwigs, Cockroaches, Mayflies, Scorpionflies, Alderflies, Lacewings, Stoneflies, Barklice, Snakeflies, Thrips, and Silverfish (Orders Dermaptera, Dictyoptera, Ephemeroptera, Mecoptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Plecoptera, Psocoptera, Raphidioptera, Thysanoptera, Zygentoma)
Springtails (Class Entognatha)
Arachnids (Class Arachnida) Spiders and Harvestmen (Orders Araneae, Opiliones)
Ticks and Mites (Orders Ixodida, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata)
Water Fleas, Centipedes, Millipedes, Woodlice, Copepods, and Ostrocods (Classes Branchiopoda, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Malacostraca, Maxillopoda, Ostracoda)
Phylum Annelida Leeches and Worms (Classes Hirudinea, Oligochaeta)
Phylum Mollusca Snails and Slugs (Class Gastropoda)
Phylum Platyhelminthes Flatworms (Class Turbellaria)
 Kingdom Fungi Phylum Basidiomycota Agaricales
Boletales
Polyporales
Russulales
Other Basidiomycota
Phyla Ascomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Zygomycota
Lichens
 Kingdoms Chromista, Protozoa Slime and Water Moulds  Viruses
 Plants (Kingdom Plantae) Algae
Phyla Bryophyta and Marchantiophyta Mosses and Liverworts Phyla Lycophyta and Monilophyta Clubmosses, Ferns, Horsetails Phylum Magnoliophyta Trees and Bushes
Herbaceous Plants
Grasses
Rushes, Sedges, and Reeds

Calendar

  Birds Daily Observations
Residents Singing
Migrant Arrivals
Spring Passage
Autumn Passage
Migrant Departures
  Invertebrates Insects Beetle Adults, Larvae
Fly Adults, Larvae
Aphid, Bug, and Hopper Adults, Nymphs
Ant, Bee, Sawfly, and Wasp Adults, Larvae
Butterfly Adults, Larvae and Moth Adults, Larvae
Dragonflies
Grasshopper and Cricket Adults, Nymphs
Caddisfly Adults, Larvae
Miscellaneous Insects Adults, Young
Springtails
Spiders and Harvestmen Adults, Spiderlings
Mites and Ticks
 Fungi Basidiomycota Agaricales
Boletales
Polyporales
Russulales
Other Basidiomycota
Ascomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Zygomycota
 Slime and Water Moulds
  Plants Trees and Bushes
Herbaceous Plants
Grasses
Rushes, Sedges, and Reeds

Publications Containing Photos from this Site

Experts Providing Species Identification

Seasons

Spring  Mammals
  Birds Migrants
Arriving Nesters: January-March, April-June
Residents
  Invertebrates Beetles: March, April, May, June
Flies: March, April, May, June
Aphids, Bugs, and Hoppers: March, April, May, June
Ants, Bees, Sawflies, and Wasps: March, April, May, June
Butterflies: March - April, May, June
Moths: March, April, May, June
Dragonflies
Grasshoppers and Crickets
Caddisflies: April, May, June
Miscellaneous Insects: March - April, May, June
Springtails
Spiders and Harvestmen: March - April, May, June
Mites and Ticks: April, May - June
  Tracks Mammals
Birds
  Fungi Agaricales: April, May, June
Boletales
Polyporales
Russulales
Other Basidiomycota
Ascomycota and Zygomycota: March - April, May, June
 Slime and Water Moulds
  Plants Trees and Bushes: March - April, May - June
Herbaceous Plants: March - April, May, June
Grasses: March - April, May, June
Rushes and Sedges

Summer  Mammals
  Birds Nests
Young
Residents
Migrants
  Invertebrates Beetles: June, July, August, September
Flies: June, July, August, September
Aphids, Bugs, and Hoppers: June, July, August, September
Bees, Sawflies, and Wasps: June, July, August, September
Butterflies
Moths: June, July, August, September
Dragonflies
Grasshoppers and Crickets
Caddisflies
Miscellaneous Insects
Springtails
Spiders and Harvestmen June - July, August - September,
Mites
  Fungi Agaricales: June, July, August, September
Boletales: June, July, August, September
Polyporales: June - July, August, September
Russulales: June, July, August, September
Other Basidiomycota: June, July, August, September
Ascomycota, Blastocladiomycota, and Zygomycota: June, July, August, September
 Slime and Water Moulds
  Plants Trees and Shrubs
Herbaceous Plants: June, July, August, September
Grasses
Rushes

Autumn  Mammals
  Birds Migrants
Departures
Residents
  Invertebrates Beetles
Flies: September, October, November - December
Bugs
Bees: September, October, November - December
Moths
Caddisflies
Miscellaneous Insects
Springtails
Spiders and Harvestmen
Mites
  Fungi Agaricales: September, October, November, December
Boletales
Polyporales: September, October, November, December
Russulales September, October, November-December
Other Basidiomycota September, October, November, December
Ascomycota and Zygomycota: September, October, November, December
 Slime Moulds

Winter  Mammals
  Birds Visitors
Residents
  Invertebrates Beetles: December - January, February, March
Flies: December - January, February, March
Bugs: January - February, March
Bees, Wasps, and SawFlies
Butterflies,
Moths January - February, March,
Groundhoppers
Miscellaneous Insects
Springtails
Spiders: January - February, March
Mites
  Tracks Mammals
Birds
 Fungi Agaricales
Polyporales
Russulales
Other Basidiomycota
Ascomycota and Zygomycota
 Slime Moulds
  Plants Trees
Herbaceous Plants

Animal Tales

Estimated Decline in Insect Numbers (2009 equals 100)

Weather Records

My Reference Library

   Identification
   Ecology
   Genetics and Evolution
   Biodiversity and Conservation
   Light Reading
   Links

Equipment

Balades à Commanster

Please send corrections, comments, and suggestions to jklindsey@protonmail.com


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