Saproxylic beetle assemblages in the Mediterranean region: Impact of forest management on richness and structure

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 259; no. 8; pp. 1376 - 1384
• Main Authors: Buse, J., Levanony, T., Timm, A., Dayan, T., Assmann, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 31.03.2010; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Beetle diversity; Beetles; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Coleoptera; Community ecology; community structure; Forest management; Forest management. Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; forest trees; forest types; Forestry; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insect ecology; introduced plants; Israel; land use; Mediterranean oaks; Middle East; Oak; Pine; Pines; Pinus brutia; Pinus halepensis; Quercus calliprinos; Quercus coccifera; species diversity; stand structure; Stands; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; vegetation structure; Middle East; Mediterranean region; Israel; West Asia; Asia; Middle east; MED, Israel; MED; Europe, Mediterranean Region; Middle East; Community ecology; Pines; Israel; Beetle diversity; Mediterranean oaks; Coleoptera; Xylophagous; Insecta; Diversity; Forest ecology; Forest management; Arthropoda; Forestry; Invertebrata; Mediterranean region; Structure; Community; Saproxylic species
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2010.01.004
• ISSN: 0378-1127

Forests cover almost 30% of the Mediterranean region today, yet forest management activities have influenced structure and composition of both natural and planted forests. To date no study has been conducted to evaluate the impact of forest management on saproxylic beetle assemblages, although it is known that the Mediterranean is a biodiversity hotspot with a long-lasting human pressure on natural habitats. We provide an overview of saproxylic beetle assemblages of three forest types (mature Pinus halepensis forests, mature Pinus brutia forests, young Quercus calliprinos forests) in the East Mediterranean region using a one-year sample from 12 forest plots located in the north of Israel. The studied forest types differed in forest structure, but we found no significant difference in saproxylic beetle species richness. Aleppo pine forests showed the largest number of saproxylic beetle species. Forests dominated by P. brutia, a non-native tree species in Israel, show the lowest species number of all three forest types. Species composition differs substantially between oak and pine forests. A third of the species found either in P. halepensis or in Q. calliprinos forests being unique to these habitats, while a smaller proportion of unique beetle species is found in P. brutia forests. Several beetle species that were found both in oak and pine plots in our study develop exclusively on broadleaved shrubs or trees. This may be explained by the small distances between the studied pine trees and oaks in their proximity. Biodiversity in pine forests can be increased when these are mixed with broad-leaved trees, e.g. oaks in the understorey layer, as can be observed the natural regrowth in most of the planted pine stands in our research area. There is some evidence from other studies that older successional stages of oak forests are likely to host more species overall than the mature pine forests studied here. In order to enhance structural diversity foresters should allow for aging of single trees or stands, regardless of the tree species.