Ecological Distribution of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Across Agricultural Land Use Types in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria

Ground beetles of the family Carabidae are widely recognized as indicators of agricultural ecosystem health and are important natural enemies of soil-dwelling pests. However, their distribution in Nigerian agricultural landscapes remains poorly documented, particularly in the Guinea Savanna zone of Kaduna State. This study examines the ecological distribution of carabid beetles across three dominant land use types: irrigated vegetable farms, rain-fed cereal fields, and fallow land in Kaduna State. Pitfall traps will be deployed in 36 plots across the three land use categories over two growing seasons. Captured beetles will be sorted, counted, and identified to genus or species level using available taxonomic resources. Diversity metrics will be calculated, and differences across land use types will be assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Soil physical and chemical properties will also be measured as explanatory variables. This study aims to determine whether intensive agricultural practices reduce carabid diversity relative to fallow systems, as documented elsewhere in Africa. Findings will contribute to understanding how land management in the Nigerian Guinea Savanna influences beneficial insect communities. The results are expected to provide entomological justification for promoting minimum-tillage and mixed cropping systems as biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices in Kaduna State. Keywords: ground beetles, Carabidae, agricultural ecosystems, Kaduna State, biodiversity indicators