Surviving in Changing Forests: Abiotic Disturbance Legacy Effects on Arthropod Communities of Temperate Forests

Cours, J.; Bouget, C.; Barsoum, N.; Horák, J.; Le Souchu, E.; Leverkus, A. B.; Pincebourde, S.; Thorn, S.; Sallé, A.

doi:10.1007/s40725-023-00187-0

Cited by 14 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 391 publications

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“…Body size and wing‐morphology are two very prominent and readily available traits, which often show distinctive patterns between carabid communities of different habitats. Larger, flightless (brachypterous) species are usually more abundant in stable ecological conditions (Homburg et al 2013, Cours et al 2023) and are predicted to decline with progressing climate change – especially in forests (Qiu et al 2023). Predatory species have been found to be affected by droughts (Kirichenko‐Babko et al 2020, Jouveau et al 2022), while herbivorous and omnivorous species might generally benefit from climate change (Brandmayr and Pizzolotto 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, some studies predict them to be heavily affected by climate change and changing precipitation patterns in the future (Williams et al 2014, Müller‐Kroehling et al 2014, Brandmayr and Pizzolotto 2016). Severe droughts might affect carabid beetles directly through changed abiotic conditions or indirectly through bottom‐up effects by changing food availability (Wise and Lensing 2019, Blüthgen et al 2023, Cours et al 2023). However, the way individual species respond extreme weather likely depends on species traits such body size, mobility or feeding guild (Homburg et al 2014b, Qiu et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent droughts in 2003 and in 2018/2019 had significant negative impacts on European temperate forests (Senf et al 2020, Senf and Seidl 2021, Schnabel et al 2022, Rukh et al 2023) and were followed by another drought in 2022, which has recently been described as unprecedented in 500 years (Schumacher et al 2023, Henley 2022). These events potentially had large effects on biodiversity in general (Archaux and Wolters 2006) and on insects in particular (Pureswaran et al 2018, Gely et al 2020, Cours et al 2023, Blüthgen et al 2023). Previous studies on long‐term trends (Seibold et al 2019, Staab et al 2023) and drought effects (Gely et al 2020, Sallé et al 2021, Cours et al 2022) in forests have mostly focused on insects of the tree layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long‐term drought triggers severe declines in carabid beetles in a temperate forest

Weiss,

von Wehrden,

Linde

2024

Ecography

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Evidence for widespread declines in arthropods is growing and climate change is one of the suspected drivers. Recent droughts in Europe were unprecedented in the previous centuries and we are only beginning to understand the impacts on ecosystems. We analysed a 24‐year dataset of carabid beetles from a temperate forest area in northeast Germany and investigated linear and non‐linear trends in carabid abundance, biomass, diversity and species traits. We were especially interested if and how these were linked to droughts at different temporal scales using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). We found significant linear declines in abundance and biomass with annual rates of −3.1% (0.95 CI [−5.3, −1]) and –4.9% (0.95 CI [−9.4, −1.6]), respectively. Non‐linear trends were closely related to the SPEI when considering the climatic water balance of the previous six years and showed severe declines between 2015 and 2022 (−71% abundance, 0.95 CI [−84, −61] / −89% biomass, 0.95 CI [−97, −59]). However, there remained a significant annual background‐decline of −2.1% (0.95 CI [−5.7, −0.2]) and −3.1% (0.95 CI [−6.5, −0.1]), respectively, which occurred independently of drought. We observed negative trends in standardized carabid diversity metrics and a shift in species assemblage that were less directly linked to droughts. Declining and drought‐sensitive species tended to be larger predators with low dispersal abilities. This study is among the very first to investigate the impacts of the current unprecedented drought on forest insects in central Europe. Our findings add to the concerning amount of evidence for widespread declines in arthropods while pointing towards weather anomalies and climate change as one important driver.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long‐term drought triggers severe declines in carabid beetles in a temperate forest

Weiss,

von Wehrden,

Linde

2024

Ecography

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“…Global change is currently increasing the frequency, severity and spatial extent of major forest disturbances in Europe such as droughts, windstorms and wildfires (Samaniego et al, 2018;Seidl et al, 2017;Spinoni et al, 2018). Disturbances can markedly affect the amount, diversity and distribution of key trophic resources and microhabitats for forest arthropods (Cours et al, 2023). One of the main drivers of these changes is the degradation of the forest canopy (Cours et al, 2023;Sallé et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Disturbances can markedly affect the amount, diversity and distribution of key trophic resources and microhabitats for forest arthropods (Cours et al, 2023). One of the main drivers of these changes is the degradation of the forest canopy (Cours et al, 2023;Sallé et al, 2021). A reduction in canopy cover can result from not only direct disturbance impacts on the trees themselves but also from subsequent forest dieback or decline, as a progressive loss of tree vigour generally translates into crown dieback (Sallé et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of the hyper‐diverse community of canopy‐dwelling Hymenoptera to oak decline

Le Souchu,

Cours,

Cochenille

et al. 2024

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Forest decline and dieback are growing phenomena worldwide, resulting in severe, large‐scale degradation of the canopy. This can profoundly alter the provision of trophic resources and microhabitats for canopy‐dwelling arthropods. In 2019, we assessed the effect of oak decline on the community of canopy‐dwelling Hymenoptera. We selected 21 oak stands and 42 plots, located in three forests in France, presenting contrasting levels of decline. Insects were sampled at the canopy level with green multi‐funnel and flight‐interception traps. We collected a particularly diverse community of 19,289 insect individuals belonging to 918 taxa, 10 larval trophic guilds and 7 nesting guilds. Oak decline had no effect on the abundance or richness of the overall community but significantly reshaped the community assemblages. Decline had contrasting effects depending on the taxa and guilds considered. Specialist parasitoids were more abundant at intermediate levels of decline severity while generalists were negatively affected. Taxa depending on ground‐related resources and microhabitats were promoted. Saproxylic taxa were more abundant while xylophagous insects were negatively impacted. Reduced leaf area index promoted several guilds and the diversity of the overall community. While an increasing tree mortality rate enhanced the abundance and diversity of deadwood resources, it had negative impacts on several Hymenoptera guilds. Our results suggest that micro‐environmental changes at the ground level due to canopy decline have major cascading effects on the communities of canopy‐dwelling Hymenoptera. Our study highlights the relevance of studying Hymenoptera communities to investigate the outcomes of disturbances on forest biodiversity.

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Trait-Based Response of Deadwood and Tree-Related Microhabitats to Decline in Temperate Lowland and Montane Forests

Bouget,

Cours,

Larrieu

et al. 2023

Ecosystems

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Forest decline caused by climate change has been a growing challenge for European foresters for decades. The accumulation of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) and deadwood during decline can enhance stand structural heterogeneity and provide crucial habitat features for many forest ecological guilds.We analyzed changes in deadwood and TreM assemblages using a trait-based approach in three case studies: drought-induced decline in highland Pyrenean fir and lowland oak forests, and windstorm/pest-induced dieback in highland Bavarian spruce forests.Decline caused significant changes in deadwood and TreM characteristics and composition in three forest contexts. However, tree density with cavities, exudates, or crown deadwood was not linked to decline intensity. Declining conifer forests had more large deadwood and downed woody debris, and their TreM assemblages were more saproxylic, less epixylic, and included more cracks and exposed sapwood. TreM assemblages in drought-declining forests had higher diversity, functional richness, and more dead tops than healthy stands. In Bavarian spruce forests, there was more decayed downed deadwood, and the TreM assemblages were more associated with the base of the tree, snags, and logs.Overall, forest decline significantly boosts ecological niche resources, typically scarce in managed forests, which could benefit many forest biodiversity groups. Though post-disturbance management should respect tree-species-dependent economic balance and avoid phytosanitary risks, it should also consider the ecological benefits of decline-induced heterogeneity. Highlights Forest decline increased and diversified deadwood substrates in every context. Decline-induced changes in tree-related microhabitats were context-dependant.

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Surviving in Changing Forests: Abiotic Disturbance Legacy Effects on Arthropod Communities of Temperate Forests

Cited by 14 publications

References 391 publications

Long‐term drought triggers severe declines in carabid beetles in a temperate forest

Long‐term drought triggers severe declines in carabid beetles in a temperate forest

Responses of the hyper‐diverse community of canopy‐dwelling Hymenoptera to oak decline

Trait-Based Response of Deadwood and Tree-Related Microhabitats to Decline in Temperate Lowland and Montane Forests

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