Scientific publications

Dead wood is the main habitat for a large number of forest-dwelling insects that use it as a food source, development substrate, or temporary shelter, simultaneously contributing to its disintegration. Species composition of wood-inhabiting insects is well studied in the boreal zone, however a significant part of the typical forest-living groups is represented by species with poorly studied biology and trophic relationships. In 2015, we studied insect fauna on freshly fallen trees of birch (Betula pendula), aspen (Populus tremula) and spruce (Picea abies x fennica). The studies were conducted in the Nature Reserve Kivach (Republic of Karelia) using specially designed trunk emergence traps. Altogether, 107 species, representing 34 families of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera were identified. Species diversity varied significantly on different trunks. It did not depend on the tree species or a type of strap (windfall/windbreak), but tended to increase with increasing trunk diameter. The species composition of insects was quite distinctive on different tree species, but differed significantly only on spruce. Analysis of the species distribution revealed several associations on birch and spruce, which suggests at least co-occurrence of some insect species (not assuming direct trophic link) and possibly existence of a closer relationships between them. The range remarkable of species has been observed, including rare representatives of Fennoscandian fauna and species not registered before in the Republic of Karelia. We provide a selective list of species with notes on previously unknown ecological peculiarities, as well as species that represent valuable faunistic findings.