Anthropogenic disturbance and diversity of species: polypores and polypore-associated beetles in forest, forest edge and clear-cut

Abstract

In boreal coniferous forests, artificial edges often modify the habitat, increasing the likelihood that the diversity and composition of species changes. This study examined the assemblage of polypores and polypore-associated beetles at the edge of mature managed spruce-dominated forests and clear-cuts. The highest number of polypore occurrences and the greatest diversity of polypore species occurred at the clear-cut. In south-facing edges polypores occurred closer to the edge both in clear-cut and in forest than in the north-facing edges. The number of polypore-associated beetle individuals was greatest in the clear-cut, but there was no effect of edge on species richness of beetles. Orientation of the edge had no effect on the distribution of beetles in clear-cut, but in the forest beetles were closer to the edge in south-facing edges than in north-facing edges. The higher density of individuals and greater diversity of species in clear-cut may result from the rapid, short-term increase in dead-wood resource.

Keywords:

• Basidiocarp
• biological diversity
• Coleoptera
• edge effect

Acknowledgments

We thank Atte Komonen for comments on the manuscript and Jaakko Mattila for helping to identify all those little Staphylinidae. Thanks also to Metsähallitus, who allotted forest areas for our use. This study was supported by Societas Entomologica Fennica, Suomen Biologian Seura Vanamo and Societas pro Fauna et Flora Fennica.