Terrestrial arthropods and insects represent about 60% of the planet's species, but only 20% have been described. Their diversity and abundance are as important as the role they play in ecosystems (pest control, pollination, etc.).

Currently, arthropods are threatened by human activities such as the use of pesticides, the replacement of native forests by crops or forest plantations, and climate change.

Both, insects are widely used as bioindicators to characterize and monitor the impact of these factors. Among insects, the order Coleoptera is a species-diverse taxa whose composition, richness and abundance can be affected by habitat disturbance.

Species of the genus Ceroglossus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), known as peorros, are emblematic insects of Chile due to their size, color diversity and abundance in the undergrowth. These carabids are predators at both the larval and adult stages, helping to control the populations of other insects, earthworms and snails, their main prey. Their nocturnal or diurnal activity, depending on the species, can be affected by abiotic factors such as understory characteristics.

The initiative led by Paul Amouroux, is supported by the International Medium Human Observatory (OHMi) Patagonia-Bahía Exploradores, which is part of the Laboratoire d’Excellence Dispositif de Recherche interdisciplinaire des interactions human milieux (LabEx DRIIHM), INEE, CNRS, Programme “investissements d'avenir”: ANR-11-LABX-0010, France, linked to the Estación Patagonia UC. The project will be developed jointly with researchers from the Entomology Institute of the UMCE and the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems of the UC.

The project aims to evaluate the activity and abundance of two Ceroglossus species, using camera traps and capture-mark-recapture methods in forests of the Exploradores Valley, with different levels of human disturbance. In addition, the study includes the analysis of temperature and humidity data as well as forest structures at local and landscape scales.