Abstract
Abiotic disturbances often totally change the spatial arrangement of the forest environment and potentially reduce the proceeds from the forest. Nature conservationists face considerable pressure to log the wood, or at least to reduce the risk of forthcoming insect outbreaks. The aim of this study was to determine which environmental factors were the most significant for the species composition of subcorticoulous saproxylic beetles in post-disturbance areas. Beetles were studied in Primorsky Region woodlands (Far Eastern Russia) in 2008, in the second year following a heavy snow-break. The composition of saproxylic beetles was influenced significantly, and nearly in the same way, by microhabitat and tree level characteristics. The effect of interaction between microhabitat and tree level was low. Discrimination between coniferous and deciduous trees as the most important factor was followed by the stage of bark peeling, wetness of bast, presence of wood-inhabiting fungi, consistency of bast and sun exposure, all of which were significant predictors. Several taxa showed different demands between adults and larvae (e.g. Cucujus haematodes) or between species within a particular family (e.g. Pyrochroidae). The studied area was definitely not pristine woodland, but the reforestation was non-commercial in nature, with maximum use of natural regeneration and the presence of green trees in disparate life-stages was dominant. The results indicated that natural regeneration with retention of dead wood following a disturbance could be the goal in woodland areas with high conservation interest.
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Alexander Kohutka for his help with logistics and during the work in Primorsk, Mr. Terwillinger and John W. Dover improved the English. This study was supported by the Internal Grant Agency (IGA no. A10/14), Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague.
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Horak, J. What is happening after an abiotic disturbance? Response of saproxylic beetles in the Primorsky Region woodlands (Far Eastern Russia). J Insect Conserv 19, 97–103 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9750-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9750-5