The role of woodland patches in enhancing scolytine beetle diversity in monoagricultural landscapes

A total of 1,021 individuals representing 21 species, 10 genera, and five tribes were collected. Assemblages were strongly dominated by Cryphalini and Xyleborini, with Hypothenemus eruditus and Xylosandrus crassiusculus accounting for a large proportion of total abundance. Species richness and abundance differed significantly among plots, with the woodland supporting markedly higher richness and abundance than all plantation plots, while no significant differences were detected among the three plantations. Seasonal patterns were pronounced, with both abundance and richness peaking during the mid-monsoon period. Multivariate analyses indicated significant effects of habitat type on community composition, whereas temporal structuring by month was stronger than spatial structuring among plots.These results demonstrate that eucalyptus monocultures support only a subset of disturbance-tolerant scolytine beetles, whereas woodland habitats maintain greater taxonomic and functional diversity. Retention of structurally complex woodland patches within plantation landscapes may therefore be critical for conserving forest insect diversity and associated ecosystem functions in Laos.