Saproxylic Diptera assemblages in a temperate deciduous forest: implications for community assembly

Abstract

Saproxylic insects, those associated directly or indirectly with decaying wood for all or part of their life cycle, compose a large proportion of forest organisms. Flies (Diptera) are often the most abundant and species-rich group of insects in forest microhabitats, yet most work to date on saproxylic insect diversity and ecology has focused on beetles (Coleoptera). We compared saproxylic Diptera assemblages reared from two tree species (sugar maple and American beech) at two stages of decay (early/young and advanced/old) for a total of 20 logs in an eastern Canadian Nearctic old-growth forest. We found that communities are distinct within both species type and decay stage of wood. Early decay stage wood is more variable in community composition than later decay stage; however, as the age of the decaying wood increases, the abundance of Diptera increases significantly. Most indicator species are discernible in later decay stage and wood type. We venture to suggest that stochastic and deterministic processes may play a role in driving Diptera communities in temperate deciduous forests. To retain the highest saproxylic Diptera diversity in a forest, a variety of decaying wood types at different stages of decomposition is necessary.

Non-destructive DNA metabarcoding of arthropods using collection medium from passive traps

“…pollinators, decomposers, etc.) in forest ecosystems (Mlynarek et al 2018;Chimeno et al 2022a), the use of EtOH-MPG collection medium metabarcoding could improve our . CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license perpetuity.…”

Dipteran (Bibionomorpha and Tipulomorpha) diversity in dead wood in Lithuania

“…Infraorder Bibionomorpha consist of 17 extant families, most being mycetophagous or saprophagous ( Ševčík et al 2016 ). These families are the largest Diptera groups associated with fungal fruiting bodies and, in many cases, they are found in moist dead wood or under the bark of a trunk penetrated by fungal mycelia ( Irmler et al 1996 , Hövemeyer 1998 , Rotheray et al 2001 , Alexander 2002 , Jakovlev 2011 , Mlynarek et al 2018 , Ulyshen 2018 ). The infraorder Tipulomorpha is one of the largest groups in the suborder Nematocera , with five families Cylindrotomidae , Limoniidae , Pediciidae , Tipulidae and Trichoceridae ( Wiegmann et al 2011 ).…”

Diversity of the Bibionomorpha and Tipulomorpha (Diptera) from dead ash and aspen wood in the forests of Lithuania

“…Fungi begin the decomposition process, which breaks down the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, and through this process the wood becomes a food source for insects (Stokland 2012). The largest orders of insects found in dead wood are Coleoptera and Diptera, however saproxylic dipterans are less studied and many new species are discovered each year, even though it can be the most abundant and species-rich group found in dead wood (Mlynarek et al 2018).…”