1,720,974 research outputs found
Canopy beetles from forests in Lower Saxony, Germany: abundance, species ID, mean biomass and feeding guild
No full textCanopy beetle data, sampled with flight interception traps (17 m height on average) between April and September 2021 in all RTG2300 plots
Canopy arthropods & structure: abundance counts of ecological guilds sampled with insecticidal fogging & forest structures assessed with laser scanning
No full textCanopy arthropod counts, sampled with insecticidal fogging between May and July 2021 in the Solling forest. Identified to ecological guilds.
Forest structures obtained by laser scanning, measured in June 2021
Canopy arthropods from Lower Saxony, Germany (flight interception traps): metabarcoding reads and BOLD matches
No full textMetabarcoding reads of canopy arthropods, sampled with flight interception traps for four weeks between June and July 2022 in the Solling forest, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Includes the raw fastq files and an overview table after initial bioinformatic analyses
Canopy spiders: abundance, species ID and isotopic signatures
No full textCanopy spider data, sampled with insecticidal fogging between May and July 2021 in the Solling forest, Germany. The five sampled stand types were pure stands of Douglas fir, European beech and Norway spruce; and mixtures of beech with Douglas fir (Be-Do) and beech with Norway spruce (Be-Spr)
Termite colonies (Macrotermes michaelseni), tree locations and metrics of 2007 and 2019 in Namibia
No full textThis data set contains metrics and coordinates of termite mounds (Macrotermes michaelseni) and associated trees in 1 km2 of Namibian thornbush savanna. Furthermore, all locations of Boscia albitrunca above 1.5 m height within the observatory are listed. Apart from the mound metrics, mound activity status and number of associated trees are provided. For the associated trees we provide data on the species, metrics and the relative position to the termite mound, respectively the coverage by the canopy. Out of all 362 analyzed termite mounds, 203 (56.08 %) were associated with a tree. Mounds with associated trees showed increased activity, growth and height. Mound growth within the study period was correlated positively with the canopy coverage by the associated tree whilst total mound heights were correlated non-linear with medium canopy coverage of about 40 %. Mounds with a tree covering the sun's average zenith (north) were taller, grew most within 12 years and were more likely to be active than those with no northern canopy coverage. Mounds associated with the evergreen Boscia albitrunca attained highest average height (195.06 ± 11.76 cm). Therefore, we used the term “partner tree” for trees associated with Macrotermes michaelseni mounds. The mound metrics have been recorded in 2007 and 2019 and the trees were recorded and measured in 2019. The study observatory “Otjiamongombe” is located in Central Namibia, 120 km north of Windhoek and part of the BIOTA Africa project (Biodiversity Monitoring Transect Analysis). We mapped the observatory twice in order to get temporal data on mound metrics and dynamics with special regard to the associated vegetation. The data on tree parameters and tree distribution allow us to investigate the mutualism between termite mounds and partner trees. All locations were recorded with a handheld GPS (Garmin, Schaffhausen, Switzerland), having an accuracy of ± 3 m. We considered termite mounds as visible above ground mounds and also any presence of remnants of the outwash pediment. Measurements were taken with a measuring tape or stick and in case of large mounds and trees we used a Vertex IV tree height measuring instrument (Haglöf, Långsele, Sweden). Only trees directly adjacent to the termite mounds where measured and defined as partner trees. Mounds with proof of recent building activity were recorded as active
Metabarcoding reveals that mixed forests mitigate negative effects of non‐native trees on canopy arthropod diversity
No full textAbstract Averting climate change‐induced forest diebacks increasingly relies on tree species planted outside of their natural range and on the addition of non‐native tree species to mixed‐species forests. However, the consequences of such changes for associated biodiversity remain poorly understood, especially for the forest canopy as a largely understudied forest stratum. Here, we used flight interception traps and a metabarcoding approach to study the taxonomic and functional (trophic guilds) composition and taxon richness of canopy arthropods. We sampled 15 monospecific and mixed stands of native European beech, native Norway spruce—planted outside its natural range—and non‐native Douglas fir in North‐West Germany. We found that diversity of arthropods was lower in non‐native Douglas fir compared to native beech stands. Taxon richness of herbivores was reduced by both conifer species. Other functional guilds, however, were not affected by stand type. Arthropod composition differed strongly between native broadleaved beech and monospecific coniferous (native spruce or non‐native Douglas fir) stands, with less pronounced differences between the native and non‐native conifers. Beech‐conifer mixtures consistently hosted intermediate arthropod diversity and community composition compared to the respective monospecific stands. Moreover, arthropod diversity had a positive relationship with the number of canopy microhabitats. Our study shows that considering arthropod taxa of multiple functional groups reveals the multifaceted impact of non‐native tree species on forest canopy arthropod communities. Contrasting to previous studies that primarily focused on the forest floor, we found that native beech hosts a rich diversity of arthropods, compared to lower diversity and distinct communities in economically attractive, and especially in non‐native, conifers with few canopy microhabitats. Broadleaf‐conifer mixtures did not perform better than native beech stands, but mitigated negative effects of conifers—making such mixtures a compromise to foster both forest‐associated diversity and economic yield. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Beneficial effects of native broadleaved forests on canopy beetle diversity are not reduced by admixture of non‐native conifers
No full textAbstract
Biodiversity loss and vast forest diebacks due to climate change‐induced disturbances require adapted forest management strategies that reconcile economic interests and conservation. Tree species selection, including admixture of fast‐growing and drought‐tolerant non‐native species to native forests, is an increasingly considered approach. However, we lack data on how such mixtures affect native forest biodiversity, especially for the sparsely researched major above‐ground part of trees, the canopy.
In 40 temperate forest plots in northwest Germany, we investigated how monocultures and admixtures of introduced fast‐growing conifers (native Norway spruce planted outside its natural range and non‐native Douglas fir) to native broadleaved European beech forests affect abundance, biomass, taxonomic and functional diversity and community composition of canopy beetles across trophic guilds. Diverse arthropod communities are vital contributors to forest health and resilience, and therefore valuable indicators to assess and evaluate forestry measures.
Monospecific stands of non‐native Douglas fir reduced canopy beetle abundance and diversity compared to native European beech, exceeding the negative effects of Norway spruce. These effects were more pronounced for herbivorous beetles, while they were less strong for predators. Beetle communities in monospecific Norway spruce stands had low functional richness. European beech and mixtures with non‐native Douglas fir had high dissimilarity between local communities (turnover, i.e. beta diversity) and high total beetle diversity at landscape scale (gamma diversity). Mixtures generally mitigated the negative effects of introduced conifers, including shifts in species community composition compared to native European beech.
Synthesis and applications
: Monospecific stands of fast‐growing non‐native Douglas fir and native Norway spruce planted outside its natural occurrence showed undesirable effects such as low diversity and a shifted community composition of canopy beetles compared to native European beech. However, mixed stands mitigated negative effects and specifically admixed non‐native Douglas fir did not reduce species turnover and landscape‐scale beetle diversity. In line with recent studies on other forest taxa, we conclude that admixtures of introduced conifers to European beech forests, but not monospecific plantations, can potentially serve as a compromise between conservational and economic interests.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/50110000165
Correction to: Conifers and non-native tree species shift trophic niches of generalist arthropod predators in central european beech forests
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