Graduate Research Assistant University of Georgia Athens, Georgia
Deadwood is perhaps the single most important resource supporting invertebrate biodiversity in forests. Roughly 50–70% of forest-dwelling invertebrate species use deadwood or its associated resources, with as many as 30% of forest species obligately requiring it for their life cycle. Deadwood dependent (i.e., saproxylic) invertebrates act as decomposers, disturbance agents, and natural enemies in forests. Thus, these species greatly contribute to ecosystem functions such as carbon cycling and forest succession. Although a few saproxylic species are well known forest pests (e.g., some bark beetles), the vast majority of species are harmless and specialize on already dead woody material for reproduction. Many require wood of certain tree species, diameters, or decay stages. Basic knowledge of the habitats and behaviors of most species is lacking, however, especially regarding interactions between other invertebrates and fungi. Saproxylic biodiversity is considered to be threatened in regions where intense forest management has occurred historically or is ongoing. In particular, species with strict reproduction requirements or limited dispersal ability tend to be the most sensitive to human modification of forests.
