Coleópteros saproxílicos en bosques mediterráneos de Chile: primeros pasos hacia su conocimiento y conservación

Abstract

Mediterranean ecosystems have been recognized as a priority for biodiversity conservation due to their high levels of species richness and endemism. In South America, these environments are restricted to central Chile and represent a biodiversity hotspot. The study of saproxylic beetles in this area is an unexplored topic, despite the ecological role they play in the ecosystems and their potential usefulness for monitoring the forests conservation degree. The present study highlights the importance of the saproxylic beetles diversity in Mediterranean forests of Chile. These ecosystems are characterized by a high heterogeneity of vegetations and by the presence of fragmented nearly zones that surround the protected areas and show different perturbation degrees. We also enhance the importance of the preservation of old native trees in those fragmented areas that can help sustain the biodiversity and have a significant conservation value for saproxylic fauna.