Abstract
Dead wood beetles
The forest cover of Flanders and the Netherlands has been very low for centuries. Remaining forests were intensively managed and old trees and dead wood became very scarce. The biodiversity associated with these elements makes up
an important part of the overall forest biodiversity, and was probably to a large extent lost over time. Only during the last decades, dead wood and old trees are progressively reintegrated in the forest management, possibly to reach now
their highest level over the last 500-1000 years.
The ability of related beetle species to recolonise the newly available habitat is strongly determined by limitations in their dispersal and recruitment ability. We tried to evaluate the current status for saproxylic beetles by means of several indicator species, and a number of intensive field inventories in sites with high potential. Our results showed remarkably good results for the saproxylic beetle diversity of our forests and indicate a progressive recolonisation process. This confirms and justifies the efforts for conservation of dead wood and habitat trees in modern forest management. We conclude with some practical recommendations for conservation management.
The forest cover of Flanders and the Netherlands has been very low for centuries. Remaining forests were intensively managed and old trees and dead wood became very scarce. The biodiversity associated with these elements makes up
an important part of the overall forest biodiversity, and was probably to a large extent lost over time. Only during the last decades, dead wood and old trees are progressively reintegrated in the forest management, possibly to reach now
their highest level over the last 500-1000 years.
The ability of related beetle species to recolonise the newly available habitat is strongly determined by limitations in their dispersal and recruitment ability. We tried to evaluate the current status for saproxylic beetles by means of several indicator species, and a number of intensive field inventories in sites with high potential. Our results showed remarkably good results for the saproxylic beetle diversity of our forests and indicate a progressive recolonisation process. This confirms and justifies the efforts for conservation of dead wood and habitat trees in modern forest management. We conclude with some practical recommendations for conservation management.
| Original language | Dutch |
|---|---|
| Journal | De Levende Natuur: tijdschrift voor Natuurbehoud en Natuurbeheer |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 182-186 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0024-1520 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Thematic list
- Forest management
- Insects
EWI Biomedical sciences
- B280-animal-ecology
- B430-sylviculture
Taxonomic list
- beetles (Coleoptera)
- dung beetles and chafers (Scaraboidea)
- longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae)
- click beetles (Elateridae)