Dead wood and saproxylic beetle assemblages in a semi-deciduous forest in Southern Benin

Experimental studies of dead-wood biodiversity — A review identifying global gaps in knowledge

“…However, such efforts have been largely restricted to boreal and temperate forests (e.g., Similä and Junninen, 2012) whereas few studies have focused on dead wood in tropical forests. Thus, conservation strategies for tropical forests remain poorly developed despite the many threats facing saproxylic organisms in these regions, e.g., the conversion of natural forests to arable land or plantations, fragmentation, and the selective logging of old trees (Grove, 2002b;Lachat et al, 2006;Lindenmayer et al, 2012).…”

“…Schowalter et al, 2014). Also observational studies of dead wood in the subtropics and tropics are scarce (Grove, 2002b;Lachat et al, 2006), yet these regions hold some of the largest and most valuable forests with regard to biodiversity and ecosystem processes and services (Dirzo and Raven, 2003;Gaston, 2000;Shukla et al, 1990).…”

“…However, ongoing deforestation and forest degradation of tropical forests is likely to cause similar widespread regional extinctions of saproxylic species as witnessed in temperate and boreal regions of Europe (Grove, 2002a;Seibold et al, 2015). Thus, besides the conservation of pristine tropical forest, conservation strategies are needed in order to maintain saproxylic diversity in forests subject to selective logging, forest degradation and conversion to forest plantations (Basset et al, 2008;Grove, 2002b;Lachat et al, 2006Lachat et al, , 2007Tylianakis et al, 2007). For such strategies, there is an urgent need for research aimed at unraveling key relationships between habitat factors, management and biodiversity (Grove, 2002b).…”

Vertical distribution of saproxylic beetles within snag trunks retained in plantation forests

“…Plantation forests may have lower species richness of saproxylic insects than natural forests for several reasons. Plantation forests managed intensively for timber production typically have lower abundance of deadwood (Lachat et al 2006;Hoffman 2011). The occurrence of substrates with lower economic value, such as dead trees, is often minimized by intensive management.…”

Implications of Wood Collecting Activities on Invertebrates Diversity of Conservation Areas

“…This oversight is despite the well-recognized fact that the presence of wood-inhabiting organisms in deadwood attracts other organisms that are either predators of these organisms or their larvae (Fager, 1968;Harmon et al, 1993). This relationship has long been recognized and appreciated by entomologists and has generated some interest in research and management of biodiversity associated with deadwood Fager, 1968;Käärik, 1974;Deyrup, 1981;Araya, 1993;Bennett et al, 1994;Lachat et al, 2006). Such plant-animal interactions has been identified as one of the dominant biotic interactions Farrell et al, 1992) that sustains much of the terrestrial faunal diversity (Samways, 1993) through the support of ecological interactions that exist among terrestrial living organisms.…”