Saproxylic beetle species associations with structural composition of red pine coarse woody debris at Hogarth plantation

Abstract

How forest management practices affect the biodiversity of saproxylic insects is currently poorly understood. Since these insects play a role in nutrient cycling, failure to properly manage for saproxylic insects could lead to their local extirpation, resulting in cascading effects on site productivity and nutrient cycling. We must take action to better understand these communities, their roles and niches, and how to best preserve them. In this study, the associations of saproxylic beetle assemblages with two different spatial orientations of coarse red pine woody debris at Hogarth plantation were examined. Flight interception traps were used to sample saproxylic beetle assemblages based on their association with either standing dead wood or dead wood lying on the ground. The insect samples were sorted, pinned and identified to morphospecies. Biodiversity analyses were conducted to better understand beetle diversity associated with dead wood orientation. A greater species richness of saproxylic beetles associated with dead ground wood was estimated than what was sampled, indicating that sampling effort was not sufficient. This highlights the need for additional studies that use more intensive sampling to improve understanding of Saproxylic insect species diversity at the Hogarth Plantation.