Early-arriving saproxylic beetles developing in Scots pine stumps: Effects of felling type and date

Abstract

A total of 320 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) low stumps were analysed within two stands (one stand was thinned, and the other stand was subjected to clear-cut final felling) in the Drahanská Highlands in the Czech Republic. Each stand was divided into four parts, and the felling of each part was performed on different dates during 2006 (February, May, August and November). The fauna of early-arriving saproxylic beetles inhabiting the stumps was investigated by peeling the bark in two vegetation periods after the felling. A total of 17 species of beetles were found. The felling type and date affected the species composition of the recorded assemblages, with the felling date being considerably more important than the type. The species richness and diversity did not differ significantly between the felling types, but significant differences were found among the felling dates. Several associations of particular species with certain felling types or dates were also found.