Abstract:In order to explore the diversity and its spatial variability of ground beetles in broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Northeast China, this study investigated the ground-dwelling carrion beetle communities within 36 hm2 by 900 pitfall traps in four large forest dynamic monitoring plots of broad-leaved Korean pine forests (i.e., Shengshan, Fenglin, Liangshui and Changbaishan) in Northeast China. Based on the indices of species number, individual number and total body length, the diversity and its spatial variability of the carrion beetle communities were analyzed. The results showed that:(1) There were twelve species of carrion beetles in the regional species pool of broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Northeast China, with a density of 0.018 individuals/m2 and an average body length of 0.32 mm/m2. Nicrophorus tenuipes was the widespread species in the broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Northeast China which existed in all plots with a relatively large individual number. Five species, that is Nicrophorus concolor, Silpha obscura, Calosilpha brunnicollis, Oiceoptoma thoracicum and Dendroxena sexcarinata, had obvious habitat preference and only existed in a single local species pool. (2) The indices of species number, individual number and total body length were significantly different among Shengshan, Fenglin, Liangshui and Changbaishan broad-leaved Korean pine forest plots, indicating that the relatively warm local species pool (Liangshui and Changbaishan) could maintain higher species diversity, while the coldest local species pool (Shengshan) only maintained low species diversity. (3) There were significantly spatial autocorrelations of species number, individual number and total body length of the carrion beetle communities in both Shengshan and Fenglin plots with relatively higher latitudes. However, the indices above mentioned did not showed significantly spatial autocorrelations in the Liangshui and Changbaishan plots with relatively lower latitudes. (4) Carrion beetle communities showed significantly spatial variabilities. The spatial variability of carrion beetle community in the Changbaishan plot with the lowest latitude and highest altitude was significantly different from other plots. These spatial variabilities of carrion beetle communities were mainly regulated by deterministic and/or non-deterministic processes based on the results of semivariogram parameters, but the relative roles of the deterministic and non-deterministic processes were different in the four plots. The results of this study showed that the diversity and spatial variability of ground-dwelling carrion beetle communities were different at different latitudes in the broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Northeast China. This study provided theoretical basis and data support for the maintenance and protection of soil fauna diversity in the zonal climax vegetation, that is broad-leaved Korean pine forests.