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Communities of Saproxylic Beetles of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in the Voroninsky Nature Reserve

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Contemporary Problems of Ecology Aims and scope

Abstract

This study has been conducted to examine the diversity and community structure of saproxylic beetles inhabiting silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) in the Voroninsky State Nature Reserve. The beetles were caught using interception traps located on the trunks of birch trees in different decomposition stages. The results show that a total 1806 individuals of saproxylic beetles, belonging to 96 species and 37 families, were sampled. The largest number of species is found in the families Staphylinidae, Tenebrionidae, and Mycetophagidae. The largest number of specimens is found in the families Throscidae, Tenebrionidae, Staphylinidae, Lycidae, and Pyrochroidae. Most of the species are facultative inhabitants of the birch tree and are able to develop on other types of trees. More than a third of all collected specimens belong to six species: Lygistopterus sanguineus, Aulonothroscus brevicollis, Schizotus pectinicornis, Mycetochara flavipes, Trixagus dermestoides, and Mesosa myops. The species composition and trophic structure of the complex of beetles at different stages of wood decomposition in the surveyed habitat is characterized by high similarity, but the distribution of species and quantitative abundance at different destruction stages differ. In general, complexes of saproxylic beetles at decomposition stages II and III are more taxonomically diverse, which shows the importance of dead wood for maintaining the species diversity of forest communities. Almost all trophic groups are observed at all decomposition stages; only necrophagous ones are found at decomposition stage III. In terms of species and number abundance, mycetophagous ones prevail at all decomposition stages; saproxylophagous ones take a noticeable part in the composition of the complex at the last decomposition stages. The dominant complex includes both mycetophages and saproxylophages ones. The composition of the dominant complexes of different habitats differs at stage I of wood destruction. The analysis reveals connectedness in time to certain stages of wood destruction in 37 species and 5 families. The least pronounced connectedness is at decomposition stage I; the subsequent decomposition stages are preferred by a greater number of species.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank the staff of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve for their assistance in organizing the study. We are also grateful to A.A. Prokin. (Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok) for valuable remarks made during the preparation of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Balashov Institute, Saratov State University, 412309, Balashov, Russia

    A. N. Volodchenko

  2. Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Science, 412309, Borok, Russia

    D. G. Seleznev

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Correspondence to A. N. Volodchenko.

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Volodchenko, A.N., Seleznev, D.G. Communities of Saproxylic Beetles of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Contemp. Probl. Ecol. 15, 71–82 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995425522010097

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