Influence of stand size and quality of tree hollows on saproxylic beetles in Sweden

Abstract

The habitat requirements of 11 beetle species associated with tree hollows were studied by correlating their occupancy with characteristics of the oaks and the number of hollow oaks in each stand. The species richness was higher in trunks with a large girth and in tree hollows with entrances situated high up on the trunks and not directed upwards. Several species occurred with higher frequencies in larger stands, which suggests that these species are sensitive to habitat fragmentation. In some cases at least, the present species richness may reflect higher densities of hollow trees in the past. It is therefore suggested that, in order to preserve the rare fauna in old oaks, the stand size must be increased at many sites. In this study two species, Elater ferrugineus and Tenebrio opacus, were absent from almost all stands with <10 hollow oaks, whereas the other species occurred at least to some extent also in smaller stands. Presence/absence data of E. ferrugineus, T. opacus and Osmoderma eremita may be used to evaluate to what extent the fauna in old trees is affected by habitat fragmentation today as well as in the past.