Abstract

A group of saproxylic beetles has become a frequently used as a bioindicator of forest biodiversity. These beetles, especially endangered species, testify very credibly to the preservation of the forest ecosystem. Intensive forest management reduces biodiversity mainly due to the absence of dead wood. Dead wood is also a very important element for the circulation of nutrients and water, and often creates a suitable substrate for the tree regeneration. In this paper, 159 publications dealing with forest biodiversity were analysed. In commercial forests with a full stand canopy and no dead wood, the environment is almost uninhabitable for saproxylic beetles. The main factors that affect the biodiversity of saproxylic beetles are: (1) sun exposure and canopy closure, as the elements that increase or decrease the temperature, and (2) dead wood of all dimensions. Dead wood of large dimensions is not present in the production forests, and therefore the associated species are mostly endangered. Standing snags and large trees are the largest hosts of microhabitats. Intensive forest management significantly reduces all these attributes, and therefore results in lower biodiversity of saproxyls than in the forest reserves.

Keywords

saproxylic beetles; coleoptera; dead wood; forest biodiversity; forest management

Fulltext

Saproxyličtí brouci jako indikátor biodiverzity lesů a vliv lesnického managementu na jejich rozhodující životní atributy: review