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Collection methods and/or habitats sampled influence how many and which species are captured during entomological surveys. Here we compare Coleoptera catches among three survey activities, each using a single collection method, at the same study sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Activities included: short-term flight intercept trapping (FITs); sifting/Berlese funneling of leaf litter and extremely decayed downed coarse woody debris; and using emergence chambers containing coarse woody debris of various decay classes. In total, 2472 adult beetle specimens, representing 217 lowest identifiable taxa within 164 genera and 42 families, were collected during the FIT survey. Each survey activity yielded more than 2000 specimens, and a combined total of 413 species was collected. A combination of all surveys yielded the highest species richness when normalized for number of specimens indicating that variation of habitat and/or collection method significantly increases species richness. Of single surveys the FIT survey had the highest absolute species richness (217) and the highest richness when normalized for number of specimens. Species overlap among survey activities was low (Sorensen’s quotient of similarity was 0.20–0.27), which showed that each was about equally dissimilar from all others. Overlap of catch between FITs and emergence chambers was too low to justify substitution of emergence surveys with the FIT survey protocol used when attempting to collect saproxylic Coleoptera.
Coleoptera species composition and succession in downed woody debris habitats are poorly known in eastern North America. A photoeclector emergence chamber was used to concentrate Coleoptera that emerged from various decay classes of fine and coarse woody debris (FWD and CWD, respectively) collected in primary and secondary forest sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA. A total of 5673 adult beetle specimens, representing 305 lowest identifiable taxa within 227 genera and 51 families, was collected. One hundred fifteen species (38%) were represented by single individuals. Many more specimens and species were collected from CWD (4129 and 247, respectively) than from FWD (1544 and 162, respectively), but species richness accumulation curves were not significantly different. Many more specimens but an equal number of species were collected from primary forest (3347 and 207, respectively) than from secondary forest (2326 and 207, respectively). Species accumulation curves indicated higher richness in secondary forests. Based on a subset of 71 species represented by 10 or more specimens, 27 species were associated with fresh fine woody debris, 11 species with weathered fine woody debris, four with coarse woody debris decay class I, 14 with coarse woody debris decay class II, and eight with coarse woody debris decay class III–IV. Sixteen species were associated with secondary forests, whereas 28 species were associated with primary forests. Coarse woody debris decay class II taken in primary forests had highest absolute species richness with 156 species. In coarse woody debris species overlap decreased with increased difference in decay indicating faunal succession. Published works related to the study of the ecology of downed woody material are briefly summarized. Recommendations on developing a database of legacy trees for future researchers are given. Notes on the biology and photographs of the 71 species represented by 10 or more specimens are given to provide an atlas of eastern U.S. beetle species most commonly encountered in these habitats.
The community within extremely decayed downed coarse woody debris, here referred to as decay class V (CWD5), has never been systematically sampled. The presumption has been that rotten wood is eventually overrun by surrounding soil and litter inhabitants. Leaf litter and CWD5 were sampled for Coleoptera with a sifting/ Berlese technique at three primary and three secondary forest sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA, during fall 2006 and spring 2007. A total of 4261 adult beetle specimens, representing 216 lowest identifiable taxa within 159 genera and 28 families, were collected. Sixty-six species (31%) were represented by single individuals. Many more specimens (3471) and species (170) were collected from leaf litter than from CWD5 (790 and 111, respectively) but species accumulation curves showed that species richness was not significantly different between the two habitats. Eight species were significantly associated with CWD5, and 40 species were significantly associated with leaf litter. Species richness was significantly higher in secondary forest than primary forest, but more species were significantly associated with primary than secondary forest. Species richness was significantly higher in spring than fall. Notes on the biology and photographs of the 59 species represented by 10 or more specimens are given to provide an atlas of common eastern U.S. beetle species found in these habitats. Overall CWD5 is a distinct but overlooked habitat that may harbor numerous undescribed species or species considered rare.