Veteran trees have divergent effects on beetle diversity and wood decomposition.

ABSTRACT: Veteran hollow trees are keystone structures in ecosystems and provide important habitat for a diverse set of organisms, many of which are involved in the process of decomposition. Since veteran trees are 'islands' of high biodiversity, they provide a unique system in which to study the relationship between biodiversity and decomposition of wood. We tested this relationship with a balanced experiential design, where we quantified the taxonomic and functional diversity of beetles directly involved in the process of decomposing wood, and measured the decomposition of experimentally added bundles of small diameter wood around 20 veteran trees and 20 nearby young trees in southern Norway. We found that the diversity (both taxonomic and functional) of wood-decomposing beetles was significantly

SUBMITTER: Wetherbee R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7971458 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature