Standing or downed dead trees — does it matter for saproxylic beetles in temperate oak-rich forest?

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2494-2507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Franc

For conservation of forest biodiversity, dead wood in the form of logs, snags, or cut high stumps is sometimes left or created when forests are harvested. In Scandinavia, such dead wood usually comes from conifers. For forests in temperate regions, few studies have analysed composition and species richness of beetles using dead wood of oaks ( Quercus spp). In this study in southern Sweden, I examined the occurrence of saproxylic beetles trapped at lying (logs) and standing (snags) dead wood of European oaks ( Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl.) in 13 oak-rich mixed forests of relatively high conservation value. The assemblage of beetles differed strikingly between the lying and standing dead wood. Traps on lying dead wood, compared to traps on standing dead wood, had more fungivores and fewer primary and secondary wood boring species. Of 94 species tested for individual substrate preferences, 48 showed prevalence for different trap/substrate types. Absolute species richness was significantly higher on logs than snags, but a smaller proportion of the snag substrate or snag beetles may have been sampled. For red-listed beetles, no differences in their species richness were detected among substrates. These results suggest that logs of dead oaks are valuable and that both snags and logs of oak should be retained and, if needed, created in forestry, such that they are continuously available in stands.

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konrad Skwarek ◽  
Szymon Bijak

Abstract Dead wood plays an important role for the biodiversity of forest ecosystems and influences their proper development. This study assessed the amount of coarse woody debris in municipal forests in Warsaw (central Poland). Based on the forest site type, dominant tree species and age class, we stratified all complexes of the Warsaw urban forests in order to allocate 55 sample plots. For these plots, we determined the volume of dead wood including standing dead trees, coarse woody debris and broken branches as well as uprooted trees. We calculated the amount of dead wood in the distinguished site-species-age layers and for individual complexes. The volume of dead matter in municipal forests in Warsaw amounted to 38,761 m3, i.e. 13.7 m3/ha. The obtained results correspond to the current regulations concerning the amount of dead organic matter to be left in forests. Only in the Las Bielański complex (northern Warsaw) volume of dead wood is comparable to the level observed in Polish national parks or nature reserves, which is still far lower than the values found for natural forests. In general, municipal forests in Warsaw stand out positively in terms of dead wood quantity and a high degree of variation in the forms and dimensions of dead wood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-60
Author(s):  
Nicolai Olenici ◽  
Ecaterina Fodor

Nature reserves harbour considerable richness and diversity of saproxylic organisms since dead wood is preserved in situ, this being also the case of Voivodeasa beech-spruce-fir forest in North-Eastern Romania, the area investigated under the present research. Flight interception traps were employed to capture insects during a vegetation season with the goal to characterize saproxylic Coleoptera community in terms of diversity and several other structural features. Among the captured insects, the majority pertained to obligate saproxylic species (217 species). However, the unexpected high species richness corresponded to an area with modest representation of deadwood due to previous status of commercial forest. The identified beetles were members of different habitat-guilds depending on what type of substrate they colonized: recently dead wood (23%), decomposed dead wood (41%), wood inhabiting fungi (34%) and treehollow detritus (2%). According to their trophic position, the identified saproxylic beetles pertained to the following guilds: xylophagous (40%), mycetophagous (39%), predatory (14%), and species relying on other food resources. The observed richness corresponded to the case of hyperdiverse communities where sampling never leads to the stabilization of species richness under a realistic sampling scheme. The diversity profiles constructed on Shannon, Gini-Simpson, Berger-Parker and evenness indices for the pooled inventory and for separate samples across the vegetation season indicated the aggregated saproxylic community as highly diverse and highly uneven, with rich representation of rare species, dominated by few abundant species. We assembled four bipartite, unweighted, and undirected networks to approach the temporal changes across the sampling period extended over one vegetation season. The topology of beetles’ community and of the three main trophic guilds (xylophagous, mycetophagous and predatory) networks linked to time sequences are characterized by high connectance, high nestedness and modularity, with the exception of the mycetophagous sub-network not displaying significant modularity. Among the identified species, 13% indicate high degree of naturalness of the Voievodeasa forest. 62 of the identified species are included in the Red List of European Saproxylic Beetles of which five are near threatened (Protaetia fieberi, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Crepidophorus mutilatus, Ceruchus chrysomelinus, Prostomis mandibularis), Ischnodes sanguinolentus is vulnerable and Rhysodes sulcatus is an endangered species. During the study, two Coleoptera species, new for Romanian insect fauna were identified: Denticollis interpositus Roubal, 1941 and Hylis procerulus (Mannerheim 1823).


2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 176-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Azuma

Abstract Forest Inventory and Analysis data were used to investigate the effects of a severe western spruce budworm outbreak on the dead wood component of forests in 11 counties of eastern Oregon for two time periods. The ownership and the level of damage (as assessed by aerial surveys) affected the resulting down woody material and standing dead trees. The pattern of coarse woody debris with respect to ownership and management intensity remained consistent into the next 10-year period. Harvesting tended to lower the amount of coarse woody debris on private forests. Federally managed forests had more standing dead trees than private lands, with more in the reserved than nonreserved areas. There was a reduction in the number of standing dead trees between the two periods.


2004 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Bütler ◽  
Rodolphe Schlaepfer

Dead wood is of paramount importance for forest biodiversity. For this reason it was adopted as an indicator for sustainable forest management by the Ministerial Conference on the protection of forests in Europe. This paper aims to answer the question of how much dead wood is necessary for the maintenance of biodiversity in sub-alpine spruce forest ecosystems. For this purpose we studied the habitat preferences of the three-toed woodpecker, a bird species that depends heavily on dead trees. Previous ecological studies had already demonstrated that this woodpecker is an indicator of spruce forests with a high degree of naturalness and biodiversity. Our field study in Swiss sub-Alpine spruce and Swedish boreal forests showed that, below a threshold level of about 20 m3 standing dead trees per ha, the probability of finding these woodpeckers drastically decreases. Similar results were obtained using a bioenergetic model, which calculated the energy requirements of this insectivorous woodpecker. Based on the results, our recommendation is to ensure a scattering of dead-wood rich areas in forest landscapes. Each area should cover about one square kilometre and have a mean of 5% of standing dead trees (≥ 18 m3 ha–1), and a total of approx. 9% of dead wood(≥ 33 m3 ha–1 standing and fallen).


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 1280-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juha Keränen ◽  
Jussi Peuhkurinen ◽  
Petteri Packalen ◽  
Matti Maltamo

Where airborne laser scanning (ALS) measures the entire aboveground vegetation, the target of a stand-level forest inventory is usually the living tree stock above a given diameter but excluding standing dead trees. The aim here was to investigate the effects of varying field-measured minimum diameters (3–10 cm) and standing dead wood on ALS-based forest inventories. The characteristics considered in this case were volume, basal area, number of stems, mean diameter, and mean height for each species, as well as the total growing stock and the total aboveground biomass. The field data comprised measurements of all trees that were ≥3 cm at breast height (1.3 m) on 601 sample plots located in pine-dominated managed forests in eastern Finland. The results showed that the minimum diameter had a significant effect on the estimates obtained in young forests, for which the three smallest minimum diameter datasets (3, 4, and 5 cm) gave the most accurate estimates. Minimum diameter had no marked influence in the case of middle-aged or mature forests. The inclusion of standing dead trees did not have any effect on the estimates of living tree characteristics. The effect of minimum diameter is minor where large-area inventory applications are concerned; however, especially from a silvicultural point of a view, a minimum diameter of 3 cm should be employed in young forests, for which a large proportion of the tree stock usually consists of small trees, i.e., with diameters of <5 cm.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1558
Author(s):  
Andrzej Mazur ◽  
Radosław Witkowski ◽  
Robert Kuźmiński ◽  
Roman Jaszczak ◽  
Mieczysław Turski ◽  
...  

Background: Resources of dying and dead trees, decaying fragments of stems, stumps and branches, i.e., coarse woody debris (CWD), are an important structural element of biocenoses and are drivers of biodiversity. The aim of this study was to describe assemblages of saproxylic beetles in pine stands of western Poland in view of dead wood resources. We present faunistic (species identity) and quantitative (species and individual counts) data from two types of stands: 1. unmanaged pine stands, in which no trees have been extracted for over 30 years, with processes connected with tree dying and self-thinning of stands being undisturbed, 2. managed pine stands, in which routine tending operations extracting trees are performed in accordance with forest management plans and naturally dying trees are removed in the course of tending and sanitary logging; Methods: Beetles were captured in the years 2013–2014 using window flight traps. Assemblages of saproxylic beetles were assessed based on the indices of dominance, diversity (the Shannon–Weiner index), and species richness (Margalef’s index) as well as the estimated habitat fidelity index, feeding habits, and zoogeographical distribution. Similarity between the assemblages was evaluated applying cluster analysis. Dependence between dead wood resources and the diversity and species richness indices were analysed; Results: A total of 2006 individuals classified to 216 species were captured. Assemblages show considerable similarity on the local scale. Higher values of species diversity indicators were observed in unmanaged stands, in which no sanitation cuttings are performed; Conclusions: The decision to refrain from sanitation logging in pine monocultures results in increased CWD resources, which nevertheless does not lead to a marked increase in the values of biodiversity indicators. Unmanaged stands were characterised by a high share of zoophagous, mycetophagous, and saproxylic species. In contrast, managed stands were characterised by a high share of xylophagous beetles.


2021 ◽  
pp. 88-97
Author(s):  
O. Chornobrov ◽  
I. Tymochko ◽  
O. Bezrodnova

The article examines the volume of coarse woody detritus in fresh maple-linden-dibrova in Slobozhanskyi National Nature Park. The study was carried out in 115-year-old forest with a predominance of common oak (Quercus robur L.) of natural origin on a sample plot (0.24 ha) by identifying and measuring of standing and lying dead wood components. The volume of dead wood in the forest ecosystem is 32.4 m3·ha–1 and consists of fallen (84.3%) and standing (15.7%). The main part of the dead wood volume is formed by one tree species — common oak (91.3%). In general, woody detritus is characterized by I–IV stages of decomposition, at the same time detritus of III (52.5%) and II (41.7%) stages prevails, detritus of other decomposition stages has insignificant shares (not exceeding 5.0%). No detritus of the last (V) stage of decomposition was detected. The volume of standing dead wood was 5.1 m3·ha–1 and is formed by whole and broken dead trees. In terms of species composition, common oak predominates (80.4%), other species have much smaller shares: small-leaved linden (Tilia cordata Mill.) (13.7%) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) (5.9%). The volume of standing dead wood is dominated by detritus of decomposition stage II (4.8 m3·ha–1, 94.1%), compared with stage I (0.3 m3·ha–1, 5.9%). The volume of lying dead wood is 27.3 m3·ha–1 and is formed by whole fallen trees, fragments of fallen trees (trunks) and thick branches. In terms of species composition dead wood volume is dominated by common oak detritus (25.6 m3·ha–1, 93.7%), and the shares of other species are insignificant. Fallen dead wood is represented by four stages of decomposition (I–IV). In terms of volume, decomposition stage III has an absolute advantage (16.9 m3·ha–1, 61.9%), much less detritus of stage II (8.7 m3·ha–1, 31.9%). Relatively low volume of woody detritus and the absence of dead wood of decomposition stage V may be associated with forestry activities, including selective sanitary cutting and fallen woody debris removal, in the past in modern NNP areas.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102-112
Author(s):  
O. Chornobrov

Dead wood (woody debris) is an important component of forest ecosystems. It performs a number of ecological and environmental functions. The article studies the peculiarities of the formation of coarse wood detritus volume and its qualitative structure in forests in the conditions of fresh sudibrova of the Zmiiini Islands tract of Kaniv Nature Reserve. The study of dead wood was carried out in 140-year-old pine-oak forests of natural origin on a permanent sample plot (0.24 ha) by identifying and measuring of standing and lying deadwood components. It was found that dead wood in the forest ecosystem was formed due to the dying of trees of five species: common oak (Quercus robur L.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.), small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) and common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), and has a volume 56.3 m3·ha–1. Dead wood volume is dominated by standing dead trees — 82.1%, and the share of lying dead wood, respectively, is 17.9%. The main part of dead wood volume is formed by two tree species — common oak and Scots pine, the share of which together is 94.3%. Common oak and Scots pine is characterized by a predominance of standing dead wood, while for other tree species — lying dead wood. In general, dead wood is formed by detritus of I–IV classes of destruction, at the same time detritus of class II decomposition has a significant advantage (70.5%), recently dead wood has a much smaller share (I class, 24.8%), and other classes of destruction have insignificant shares, which together do not exceed 5.0%. No woody detritus of the last (V) class of destruction was detected. Volume of standing dead wood is 46.2 m3·ha–1, and is formed by whole and broken dead trees. In terms of species composition, common oak has a significant advantage (74.5%), Scots pine has a much smaller share (25.1%), and the share of Norway maple is insignificant (0.4%). The total standing dead wood volume is dominated by wood of class II destruction (33.0 m3·ha–1, 71.4%) compared with class I (13.2 m3·ha–1, 28.6%). Lying dead wood is represented by four classes of destruction (I–IV), however, no woody debris was found at the late (last) stage of decomposition (class V). In terms of volume, the second class of destruction has an absolute advantage (6.7 m3·ha–1, 66.3%), much less class III detritus (2.3 m3·ha–1, 22.8%). Lying dead wood of common oak is represented by all four classes of destruction, among which III (40.5%) and I (33.3%) classes predominate. Lying dead wood of other tree species is characterized by the predominance of II or III classes of destruction. The main factors in the formation of woody detritus in the pine-oak forest in the Zmiiini Islands tract could be the impact of adverse climatic conditions (long periods without precipitation in summer), which led to the weakening of individual trees and their death, gusts of wind that broke individual tree trunks, low-intensity snow breaks, and the influence of biotic factors (insects, pathogens).


2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Jankovský ◽  
D. Lička ◽  
K. Ježek

In four permanent experimental plots, dead wood was inventory under conditions of mountain forest ecosystems of the Kněhyně-Čertův ml&yacute;n National Nature Reserve, the Moravian-Silesian Beskids. Down woody material, standing dead trees as well as living trees were recorded. Data obtained were used to determine partial and summarized volumes of dead wood and its proportion in a living stand. Each of the surveyed areas was described not only from the viewpoint of mensuration but also with respect to subsequently carried out studies of biodiversity of wood mycoflora, succession of decomposition processes, natural regeneration on the dead wood etc. Mean volume of dead wood and a share in the total standing volume reaches 132 m<sup>3</sup>/ha(40%), of this 86 m<sup>3</sup>/hais down woody material and 46 m<sup>3</sup>/havolume of standing dead trees. Mean total standing volume per ha amounted to 332 m<sup>3</sup>/ha in the region of the Kněhyně-Čertův ml&yacute;n NNR.


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