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Contrasting Responses of Saproxylic Insects to Focal Habitat Resources: The Example of Longhorn Beetles and Hoverflies in Belgian Deciduous Forests

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Abstract

Although both saproxylic longhorn beetles and hoverflies benefit from the presence of woody substrates for reproduction, they differ in their requirements for floral resources and for microbiotopes of overmature and senescent trees. This led us to expect contrasting responses between the two species groups in relation to these essential resources. We examined this prediction in 22 mature oak- and beech-dominated stands of southern Belgium by relating their species assemblages to local vegetation structure and composition, altitude and landscape composition. Stands were organised in pairs as a function of their overall dead wood supply. Free-hanging window traps, stump emergence traps and Malaise traps produced 30 longhorn beetle species (1637 individuals) and 106 hoverfly species (3020 individuals). Paired-comparisons controlling for annual variation in captures showed that, unlike saproxylic hoverflies, stands with dead wood hosted more species and individuals of longhorn beetles. Accordingly, the two species groups were found to be independent on ordination axes, responding to different sets of environmental conditions. While stands dominated by oaks with a high snag volume were highly favoured by longhorn beetles, saproxylic and threatened syrphids were limited to open-stands with large trees and a well-developed, species rich herb layer providing the floral resources required for their reproduction. Our results suggest that, when defining criteria to identify or restore important habitats for saproxylic insect conservation, variables related to different aspects of dead wood supply should not be the only criteria taken into account.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre of Nature, Forests and Wood (CRNFB), Av. Maréchal Juin 23, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Philippe Fayt, Marc Dufrêne & Etienne Branquart

  2. Biodiversity Research Centre, Catholic University Louvain (UCL), Croix du sud, 4-5, B-1348, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium

    Pierre Hastir

  3. Forest and Nature Management Unit, Gembloux Agricultural University (FSAGx), Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Christophe Pontégnie & Jean-Marc Henin

  4. Department of Entomology, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (IRSNB), Vautierstraat 29, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium

    Veerle Versteirt

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  1. Philippe Fayt
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  2. Marc Dufrêne
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  3. Etienne Branquart
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Fayt, P., Dufrêne, M., Branquart, E. et al. Contrasting Responses of Saproxylic Insects to Focal Habitat Resources: The Example of Longhorn Beetles and Hoverflies in Belgian Deciduous Forests. J Insect Conserv 10, 129–150 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-006-6289-0

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