Epigeic beetles were studied along two roads with different character and traffic intensity (a highway and a 1st class road) in different areas with similar physical-geographic location. Pitfall trapping in transects of forested and unforested landscape along the roads was used for sampling in both areas. There were not found any specific beetle species in habitats along the roads. Species diversity was higher along the 1st class road than along the highway. Stronger effects of the highway on beetle communities were found in a narrow adjacent strip. This effect was not found along the smaller 1st class road. The equitability is lower in forested landscape along the highway (the activity of dominant species is higher) whereas in agricultural landscape this effect was not found. The frequency of generalists increased near the narrow strip beside the roads. The number of migrating specimens on the opposite side of 1st class road was low both in forested and unforested landscape (a few specimens out of one hundered marked individuals) and only one specimen was found on the opposite side of the highway.
Key words: habitat fragmentation, transport effect, epigeic beetle communities, migration possibilities, Central Europe