Comparisons of ground-dwelling beetle assemblages in different stand types at Jack Haggerty Forest

Abstract

Beetles (Coleoptera) play an important role in Canada’s boreal forest as they aid in many forest processes. Ground-dwelling beetles are the focus of this study, and most of these beetles belong to the families Carabidae, Silphidae, and Staphylinidae, playing a large role in the cycling of nutrients through predation and decomposition. The study’s main objective is to determine if there is a difference in ground-dwelling beetle assemblages under different stand types. This will be determined through the analysis of species richness, species composition, and abundance under different stand types. From the Jack Haggerty Forest in Thunder Bay Ontario, data was collected from multiple stand types during the years 2022 and 2023 using pitfall traps. The data collected was analyzed using generalized linear models and non-metric multidimensional scaling through R statistical software. The results indicate that species composition was not significantly different between sites or years. Species abundance was significantly different in Pr60 compared to Pop45, Sb45 with Pr60, and Sb45 with Sb100. Species richness was only significant on a stand level between Sb100 and Pop45, Sb100 and Pr60, and finally, Sb100 and Sb45 were significantly different. The study showed the importance of the preservation of multiple stand types in an area. This idea should be implemented into forest management plans as it would increase the forest's biodiversity and in turn health and resilience.