Methods: Saproxylic beetles were sampled under the bark of dead wood in a managed forest 7 landscape in central Sweden. We modelled the occurrence probability in dead wood items of 44 8 species (all species occurring in >2% of the items), based on dead wood item characteristics, 9 forest stand characteristics, and habitat connectivity (i.e. area of potentially suitable forest stands 10 in the surrounding of each stand), using hierarchical Bayesian regression.
11Results: For the majority of species, dead wood item characteristics (especially tree species and 12 whether standing or downed) were more important than measured stand characteristics and 13 habitat connectivity. Whether the stands were clear-cuts, mature forests, or reserves affected 14 some species, whereas the stand-level amount of dead wood per hectare was not important for 15 any species. Habitat connectivity improved the occurrence models for about a half of the species, 16 but there were both positive and negative relationships, and they were generally weak.