Influence of snag characteristics on saproxylic beetle assemblages in a south Swedish beech forest

Brunet, JörgSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Institutionen för sydsvensk skogsvetenskap,Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre (author)

Effects of snag characteristics on saproxylic beetles were studied in an area of managed beech forest in southern Sweden. A snag survey was combined with a beetle survey using 30 small window traps directly attached to beech snags. The total number of species was lower in the snags which were most decayed than in the three younger decay classes, while the number of red-listed species remained the same regardless of the stage of decay. The number of fresh wood species declined and the number of rot hole species increased with increasing snag decay. The diversity of fungicolous and decayed wood species peaked at the intermediate stage of decay in the snags. CCA ordination confirmed that the stage of decay in the snags was most important for species composition, followed by sun exposure. There were no general differences in species density and composition between managed and unmanaged stands. Our study suggests that most species are able to find suitable habitat within a radius of a few kilometres and that the total amount of habitat in an unfragmented forest area is more important for species diversity than the spatial distribution of this habitat. Our data also shows that species diversity increases with habitat diversity. Snags formed from giant beech trees seem to be particularly important for rare species living in rot holes. We conclude that for a high species diversity there is a requirement for snags in different stages of decay, size and degree of sun exposure.

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitetInstitutionen för sydsvensk skogsvetenskap (creator_code:org_t)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

In:Journal of Insect Conservation: Springer Science and Business Media LLC13, s. 515-5281366-638X1572-9753

About the subject

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES: AGRICULTURAL SCI ...; and Other Agricultur ...; and Environmental Sc ...

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES: AGRICULTURAL SCI ...; and Agriculture Fore ...; and Forest Science

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.