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Pyrochroa serraticornis (Scopoli, 1763) (Pyrochroidae), a widespread saproxylic predator species, whose large and flattened larvae are typically associated with bark of veteran trees (LC-Least Concern). Photo by Maurizio Gigli.
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The main objectives of this review are: 1) the compilation and updating of a reference database for Italian saproxylic beetles, useful to assess the trend of their populations and communities in the next decades; 2) the identification of the major threats involving the known Italian species of saproxylic beetles; 3) the evaluation of the extinction...
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Abstract
The main objectives of this review are: 1) the compilation and updating of a reference database for Italian saproxylic beetles, useful to assess the trend of their populations and communities in the next decades; 2) the identification of the major threats involving the known Italian species of saproxylic beetles; 3) the evaluation of the e...
New records of moths elucidate the importance of forests as biodiversity hot-spots in central Mediterranean landscapes (Lepidoptera). In this paper we report new faunistic findings concerning 15 moth species collected in forested habitats of Calabria and Sicily regions, South Italy. Most interesting records concerned Eupithecia trisignaria and Orec...
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... Systematics and nomenclature followed Bouchard et al. [26] and Carpaneto et al. [27]. All the taxa collected during the field activities are alphabetically listed in Table S1. ...
... All the taxa collected during the field activities are alphabetically listed in Table S1. Species strictly considered as saproxylic (sensu [27]) are also reported in Table S1, together with their IUCN risk category at the Italian level [27]. ...
... All the taxa collected during the field activities are alphabetically listed in Table S1. Species strictly considered as saproxylic (sensu [27]) are also reported in Table S1, together with their IUCN risk category at the Italian level [27]. ...
In European mountains most beech forest areas have been managed for timber production. This practice has reduced the availability of biomass for the whole forest-dwelling species assemblage and of deadwood for the saproxylic community. Despite most of Italy's beech stands having a long history of management, its effects on forest species remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we studied beetle abundance and diversity in five beech-dominated forests with increasing management intensity in central Italy's Apennines (Tuscany). We assessed if forests with similar management intensity exhibited comparable patterns in beetle diversity, abundance, and common-ness versus rarity. Three forests were managed with even-aged shelterwood; one was managed with continuous cover forestry; and one was old-growth. We found 25 beetle families and 195 species across all sites with similar total abundance and richness. However, the representation of the most abundant families varied among sampling sites (ANOVA test: always significant for the total abundance of the most abundant families: F ≥ 2.77, d.f. = 4, p ≤ 0.038). The old-growth forest harbored more threatened species than managed sites. Saproxylic assemblages were similar between the recently cut site and the old-growth forest, and between shelterwood and continuous cover sites. While the similarity gradient among the whole species assemblages reflected geographical proximity , the similarity gradient among saproxylic assemblages reflected the successional proximity among forest management systems. Our research underscores the effects of management on beetle diversity, offering insights for sustainable forestry.
... This approach can highlight differential responses in species assemblages and help us to understand ecological relationships that can support targeted conservation strategies. Furthermore, if species of saproxylic beetles and birds show a strong dependence on the forest structure, they can be considered forest specialists [19,20], and as often happens can be promoted as indicators of forest biodiversity [21]. ...
... Forests' structure components, such as tree height and diameter, canopy cover, the presence of deadwood, and tree-related microhabitat abundance, are assumed to be relevant for specific categories of organisms [5,21]. These ecological components strongly influence beetles and birds. ...
... Systematics and the nomenclature of beetle species were performed by following Bouchard et al. [42] and Audisio et al. [43]. For further analysis, species strictly considered saproxylic (sensu Carpaneto et al., [21]) were reported, with their IUCN Red list risk category at the Italian level and their trophic categories (see [21]). Saproxylic beetles were analyzed separately and also aggregated with non-saproxylic beetles. ...
The quantification of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) and multi-taxon biodiversity is pivotal to the implementation of forest conservation policies, which are crucial under the current climate change scenarios. We assessed the capacity of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data to quantify biodiversity indices related to both forest beetle and bird communities and TreMs, calculating the species richness and types of saproxylic and epixylic TreMs using the Shannon index. As biodiversity predictors, 240 ALS-derived metrics were calculated: 214 were point-cloud based, 14 were pixel-level from the canopy height model, and 12 were RGB spectral statistics. We used the random forests algorithm to predict species richness and the Shannon diversity index, using the field plot measures as dependent variables and the ALS-derived metrics as predictors for each taxon and TreMs type. The final models were used to produce wall-to-wall maps of biodiversity indices. The Shannon index produced the best performance for each group considered, with a mean difference of −6.7%. Likewise, the highest R 2 was for the Shannon index (0.17, against 0.14 for richness). Our results confirm the importance of ALS data in assessing forest biodiversity indicators that are relevant for monitoring forest habitats. The proposed method supports the quantification and monitoring of the measures needed to implement better forest stands and multi-taxon biodiversity conservation.
... Despite the higher proportion of the geophilous species in the study fauna, secondary open vegetations have fewer species than the corresponding natural (forest) vegetation found at the same elevations. These results stress the conservation importance of forests for tenebrionid beetles, especially for saproxylic species, some of which are imperiled [71,103]. Replacement of forests with secondary open habitats would impact dramatically on the diversity of tenebrionids at elevations that would be naturally occupied by forests. ...
Vegetation tends to vary in a systematic fashion along elevational gradients, leading to the possibility of recognizing distinct vegetational belts, which are frequently used to describe and interpret elevational variations in biodiversity. However, anthropogenic changes can create landscapes dominated by secondary grasslands in areas formerly occupied by forests, thus altering the natural sequence of vegetation types. The present research illustrates how the distribution of tenebrionid beetles in central Italy is influenced by secondary vegetation. Classical schemes of vegetational belts were modified into a scheme of main vegetation types that include secondary vegetations. Tenebrionid species presence/absence in each vegetation type was then assessed. Species richness tended to decrease with elevation in both natural and secondary vegetations. Geophilous (ground-dwelling) species (which include many endemics) prevailed in natural and secondary grasslands, while xylophilous species (associated with trees) prevailed in the natural forests. Similarities in tenebrionid composition indicated the presence of two main groups: one associated with forests and the other with natural and secondary grasslands. Geophilous species prevailed among tenebrionids with Mediterranean distributions, whereas xylophilous species prevailed among species distributed mainly in Europe and the Palearctic. High values of richness, biogeographical complexity and proportion of endemics make secondary vegetations of high conservation concern.
... Comprehensive regional Red List assessments for insect groups suggest that the outlook is concerning. For example, 11% of European saproxylic beetles are listed in one of the three threatened categories, 13% are Near Threatened and 28% are Data Deficient (22). The situation is even more critical for endemic saproxylic beetles in the Mediterranean, where 53% are classified as threatened (23). ...
Insect decline has become a growing concern in recent years, with studies showing alarming declines in populations of several taxa. Our knowledge about genetic spatial patterns and evolutionary history of insects still exhibits significant gaps hindering our ability to effectively conserve and manage insect populations and species. Genetic data may provide valuable insights into the diversity and the evolutionary relationships of insects’ species and populations. Public repositories, such as GenBank and BOLD, containing vast archives of genetic data with associated metadata, offer an irreplaceable resource for researchers contributing to our understanding of species diversity, population structure and evolutionary relationships. However, there are some issues in using these data, as they are often scattered and may lack accuracy due to inconsistent sampling protocols and incomplete information. In this paper we describe a curated georeferenced database of genetic data collected in GenBank and BOLD, for insects listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Italian Red Lists (dragonflies, bees, saproxylic beetles and butterflies). After querying these repositories, we performed quality control and data standardization steps. We created a dataset containing approximately 33 000 mitochondrial sequences and associated metadata about taxonomy, collection localities, geographic coordinates and IUCN Red List status for 1466 species across the four insect lists. We describe the current state of geographical metadata in queried repositories for species listed under different conservation status in the Italian Red Lists to quantify data gaps posing barriers to prioritization of conservation actions. Our curated dataset is available for data repurposing and analysis, enabling researchers to conduct comparative studies. We emphasize the importance of filling knowledge gaps in insect diversity and distribution and highlight the potential of this dataset for promoting other research fields like phylogeography, macrogenetics and conservation strategies. Our database can be downloaded through the Zenodo repository in SQL format.
Database URL: https://zenodo.org/records/8375181
... In forest ecosystems, saproxylic insects directly or indirectly depend on decaying or deadwood for their life cycle (Speight 1989;Stokland et al. 2012;Ulyshen & Šobotník 2018). Biodiversity in deadwood can reach 30% of the total forest biodiversity (Vallauri et al. 2005), and it mainly consists of beetles (Coleoptera), with about 65% of families including at least a saproxylic species (Stokland et al. 2012;Carpaneto et al. 2015;Gimmel & Ferro 2018). Stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) belong to one of the most specialised saproxylic families that live in both temperate and tropical regions, comprising about 20 species distributed in European countries (Bartolozzi et al. 2016). ...
... The latter, also known as the lesser stag beetle, is distributed in more than 40 countries, not only in Europe, but also in North Africa and Asia (Franciscolo 1997;Klausnitzer & Sprecher-Uebersax 2008; Bartolozzi et al. 2016). Adults of D. parallelipipedus are dull black and variable in size, from ∼15 to 35 mm long with slight sexual dimorphism (Jessop 1986;Franciscolo 1997;Hendriks 2013; Figure S1A in Supplementary file), and the species is listed as "Least Concern" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) European Red List (Nieto & Alexander 2010;Carpaneto et al. 2015). It exhibits a quite long adult lifespan, with a possible lifespan of three years, and it is usually active from spring to fall (Franciscolo 1997;Fremlin & Hendriks 2011. ...
Summary. Stag beetles are saproxylic insects that live in deadwood colonised by fungi and other microorganisms. Due to the cryptic habits of these species, little is known on their biological aspects, especially for the immature stage. In this study, we investigated morphometric traits of lesser stag beetle, Dorcus parallelipipedus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) larvae and adults, with comparisons between populations. Instar identification by measuring larval head capsule was performed, and the relationship between larval body mass and head capsule width was investigated for each surveyed population. To assess the differences among populations, the scaling relationships for adults between their body and mandibles length was also considered, especially for adult males. Morphometric relationships were described by exponential equations. Differences between populations were sometimes limited to one or the other feature, and particularly ascribed to the larval body mass. These differences could be imputed to several factors, among with those of environmental or genetic order. The scaling relationship of lesser stag beetle adult males showed a positive allometry but did not differ among populations, indicating that morphological traits within a species and sex may be biologically retained. Findings are discussed from the perspective of D. parallelipipedus life history.
... At the same time, saproxylic species are highly sensitive to forest management. Several species have become endangered due to management practises leading to a decrease in the volume of deadwood available in European forests that caused small and large-scale extinction of many taxa (e.g., Bobiec et al., 2005;Campanaro et al., 2016;Carpaneto et al., 2015;Grove, 2002;Hagge et al., 2021;Nieto & Alexander, 2010;Stokland et al., 2012;Seibold et al., 2015). . L. cervus is the largest saproxylic beetle of the continent. ...
... The results support the hypothesis that a woodland composed by relatively young trees can host a significantly large population of L. cervus if its management makes a sufficient amount and quality of deadwood available for larval development. This may open up interesting opportunities to the conservation of L. cervus as compared to other saproxylic species that strictly require more natural environmental conditions and older forests to thrive, including several whose conservation status is less favourable (e.g., Bosso et al., 2018;Carpaneto et al., 2015;Russo et al., 2011). writingreview and editing; data curation. ...
The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus , is the largest saproxylic beetle and a flagship species whose populations should be monitored according to the EU Habitats Directive. Different studies have addressed its abundance and phenology, its relationship with deadwood, or the allometry of males related to different reproductive strategies. While monitoring efforts are complicated by the limited phenological window of adults (active at dusk during a few weeks), different innovative strategies have been tested in the last few years, with a promising role of citizen science.
We tested the possibility of characterising key dimensions of a L. cervus population of an Italian Natural Park by involving a network of citizen scientists in a two‐week sampling campaign along standardised sampling transects, using a capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) approach. We investigated its relationship with deadwood at different sites, estimated population size with a Bayesian analysis and characterised the allometric variation by assembling a dataset of morphological traits.
With the participation of 41 volunteers, we collected and measured 651 individuals along four sampling transects. Our analyses uncovered a large L. cervus population (estimated to consist of almost 3400 individuals), characterising its relationship with deadwood availability in different areas, and the absence of the expected male allometry.
Our results suggest that even a woodland composed by relatively young trees can host a large L. cervus populations if cut deadwood of suitable size is available. The engagement of volunteers, to which the results were presented, proved crucial to cost‐efficiently study different key ecological aspects of an insect species with a short phenology.
... In particular saproxylic beetles, both as larvae and adults, play a fundamental role in the forest, being involved in decomposition processes and nutrient cycling (Parisi et al. 2018). However, as saproxylic beetle species are associated with deadwood, which is scarce in managed forests, 25% of them is threatened in Italy, i.e., a total of 2049 beetle species belonging to 65 families assessed by the Red List of Italian Saproxylic Coleoptera (Carpaneto et al. 2015). The positive relationships of saproxylic species with deadwood characteristics and habitat trees in oldgrowth forests are well known (Parisi et al. 2018, Thorn et al. 2020a). ...
... Systematics and nomenclature followed Bouchard et al. (2011). Species were grouped according to their family and trophic categories and IUCN risk categories, defined by Carpaneto et al. (2015). In particular, species were grouped into five trophic categories of organisms: (i) xylophagous (XY), feeding exclusively or mainly on wood; (ii) saproxylophagous (SX), feeding exclusively or largely on fungus-infected wood; (iii) mycophagous (MY), feeding exclusively or mainly on fungi; (iv) mycetobiontic (MB), feeding on carpophores of large Polyporales and other fungi living on old trees and stumps; and (v) predator (PR), organisms that primarily obtain food by killing and consuming other organisms. ...
... Even in our managed forests, 15% of the saproxylic species sampled were listed in the Italian IUCN Red List (Carpaneto et al. 2015) as "high conservation priority", belonging to Near Threatened (8 species) and Vulnerable (2 species) categories (Tab. S1 in Supplementary material). ...
In the managed beech forests of Central Italy (Molise), the diversity of saproxylic species is potentially under threat by intensive management. To evaluate the impact of forestry on the biodiversity of these ecosystems, we analyzed the relationship between abundance of saproxylic beetles and (i) forest stand exposure and elevation, (ii) deadwood availability (coarse woody debris-CWD-and stumps), (iii) abundance of microhabitats. Four sampling sectors with different altitudes and exposure were identified in a 400-ha study area in the Appenine mountains. Fifteen circular plots (13 m radius) were established in each sector where deadwood and microhabitats were surveyed and saproxylic beetles sampled. We fitted joint species distribution models to quantify the relationship between forest attributes and saproxylic species' abundance, including the interactions with their family and trophic category. Overall, 2334 specimens belonging to 64 species of saproxylic beetles were collected. Both abundance and species richness were higher in the sectors with high elevation (respectively, 55% and 44%) and South exposure (respectively, 28% and 44%). Average deadwood volumes were low (stumps: 7.6 m 3 ha-1 ; CWD: 0.3 m 3 ha-1 ; snags: 0.4 m 3 ha-1), and insect galleries were the most abundant microhabitat (380 records over a total of 434). The most important variables affecting abundance were stump characteristics (model deviance = 81.2), elevation (deviance = 64.7), and CWD characteristics (deviance = 58.0). Our results show that topographical variables and forest structure jointly affect the abundance patterns of saproxylic beetle communities in managed beech forests. These ecological interactions imply that management has different impacts on the saproxylic communities in different topographic conditions. To acknowledge this complexity we advocate for a landscape-level forest management supporting the local beetle diversity maintaining a mosaic of semi-natural forest characteristics in different topographic contexts. The ecological value of the forest landscape will be further enhanced by the application of closer-to-nature management interventions based on deadwood retention, microhabitat creation and tree retention, in line with the guidelines of the new EU Forest Strategy for 2030.
... The exposure time was the period between hanging a trap and taking specimens for analysis (expressed in days). Saproxylic species were determined taking Insects 2023, 14, 371 6 of 23 into account indications from publications [39][40][41][42][43][44]. Species were assigned to anthophilic beetles (visiting flowers) based on our own long-term observations, as well as on the basis of publications [40,41,44,45]. ...
... Saproxylic species were determined taking Insects 2023, 14, 371 6 of 23 into account indications from publications [39][40][41][42][43][44]. Species were assigned to anthophilic beetles (visiting flowers) based on our own long-term observations, as well as on the basis of publications [40,41,44,45]. ...
Forest edges, which are ecotones, have a significant impact on the spatial distribution of many Coleoptera species. This research was carried out in 2020–2022 on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia (the center of the European part of Russia). Beer traps (with a bait made of beer with sugar) were used to collect Coleoptera. Four plots were selected for the research, which differed in the composition of plants on the edges, adjacent open ecosystems, and types of forest ecosystems. The forest adjoined closely to this open ecosystem. Inside the forest interior, at 300–350 m, a control inner section of the forest with a closed canopy was selected. There were eight traps on each site: edge–below, edge–above, forest interior–below, and forest interior–above, with two traps in each plot. These traps were located at a height of 1.5 (below) and 7.5 m (above) above the ground on tree branches. In total, more than 13,000 specimens from 35 families were recorded. Cerambycidae, Nitidulidae, Curculionidae, and Elateridae had the greatest species diversity. Nitidulidae (71.6% of all individuals), Curculionidae (8.3%), Scarabaeidae (7.7%), and Cerambycidae (2.4%) predominated in total number. There were 13 species common to all plots. At the same time, only four species were found in all traps (Protaetia marmorata, Cryptarcha strigata, Glischrochilus grandis, and Soronia grisea). The abundance of P. marmorata on all plots at an altitude of 7.5 m on the edges was greater. G. grandis prevailed in the lower traps. The abundance of C. strigata and S. grisea varied depending on the location of the trap on different plots. The general pattern was the greatest species diversity of Coleoptera on the edges in the lower traps. At the same time, the total number of all species on the edges was lower. At the edges, the Shannon index was practically always higher or equal to similar indicators in traps located in the forest interior. According to the average values of all plots, it turned out that the number of species of saproxylic Coleoptera prevails inside forest areas, and the largest number of saproxiles was found in the upper traps. An interesting feature for all plots was a more significant relative number of anthophilic species at the edge in the upper traps.
... In Europe, 23% of these species are classified with a conservation status of Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), or Near Threatened (NT). In individual countries, a majority of the Eucnemidae species are threatened, e.g., 70% of species in Italy [30] and 95% in the Czech Republic [31]. For these reasons, the false click beetles (Eucnemidae) are great indicators of a diverse forest structure [32]. ...
... However, this species is rare and sporadic in all distribution areas [29]; hence, in Europe, it has an LC (Least Concern) status; [9] however, specific countries denote it varying statuses. For example, the Czech Republic lists this species with a higher conservation status, as Endangered (EN) [31], Germany lists it as Vulnerable (VU) [34], and Italy lists as Near Threatened (NT) [30]. The larvae of E. capucina feed on rotting wood [28], and according to Muona [33], on moist, very soft white rotten wood. ...
The cavity-dwelling saproxylic beetles are very poorly studied because of their hidden way of life, and they are threatened by forest management. Eucnemis capucina is a rare and sporadic species in all of its distribution area. This species is associated with old hollow trees, which may be why it is on the red lists of many European countries; however, this association could be an indicator of diverse forest structure. We monitored diurnal and seasonal flight activity with intercept flight traps installed on massive ash trees during three seasons. The observed peak of seasonal activity was in May and June. Contrasting most eucnemids, E. capucina is clearly a daytime species, with flight activity between 8:00 and 20:00 and peaking at 14:20. The peak of flight activity is the same for both sexes, but males are more active at the beginning and end of the flight period compared to females. An unequal sex ratio 1.91:1 (F:M) of captured individuals was recorded. The increasing body size of females affected the number of eggs in the body of adult females. The average potential fecundity of a female was 54 eggs, 10 eggs per 1 mm of female body length. The eggs themselves were oval in shape and only the length of the eggs correlated to the body size of the females; the width did not change with body size and did not correlate with egg length, either. We also confirmed that even a single hollow tree can host high numbers or whole populations of rare species and, thus, have a high conservation value. Our study may help better understand the biology of cavity-dwelling beetles and their active life.
... Moreover, PACA can be really useful for datasets that have incorporated subspecies, which are not given the same attention from IUCN, mainly because of taxonomic reasons, i.e., the lack of consensus on the subspecies as a biological entity. Criterion B is the most widely used for Arthropods (Cardoso et al. 2011a, b;Carpaneto et al. 2015), since most Arthropod groups lack the data for the other criteria (A, C, D and E), i.e., mainly, population size and trend information (A, C and D) or quantitative analyses (E). Despite being the most used criterion to assess invertebrates, criterion B could overestimate the danger for Arthropod assessments (Cardoso et al. 2011a), which should always be taken into consideration. ...
Arthropods' decline has been documented in global and local studies, yet they are still not sufficiently protected on a global scale. Crete (Greece), a Mediterranean hotspot is a continental island, renowned for its diverse geology, ecosystems and endemicity of flora and fauna, with many studies on all of the above disciplines dating back to the 19th century. Here we investigate the conservation status of the Cretan Arthropods using Preliminary Automated Conservation Assessments (PACA) and the overlap of Cretan Arthropod distributions with the Natura 2000 protected areas. In order to perform this analysis, we assembled occurrences of the endemic Arthropods in Crete located in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Crete together with literature data. These assessments resulted in 75% of endemic Arthropods as potentially threatened. The hotspots of endemic and threatened taxa are distributed mostly on the mountainous areas where the Natura 2000 protected areas have great coverage. Yet human activities have significant impact even in those areas, while some taxa are not sufficiently covered by Natura 2000. These findings call for countermeasures and conservation actions.
