Data from: Deadwood supports carnivores in leaf litter communities in a bark beetle-attacked deadwood simulation experiment

Deadwood can impact forest food webs through the creation of habitat and the provision of resources, but impacts may differ based on initial differences in wood characteristics and over time. Bark beetles like the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman) attack and wound pine trees, inoculating them with Ophiostomataceae (Ascomycota; hereafter “blue stain fungi”). Blue stain fungi may increase termite presence in deadwood and in the surrounding leaf litter, potentially leading to increased abundances of leaf litter invertebrates over time. The effects of deadwood in general, and simulated bark beetle–generated deadwood (i.e., deadwood inoculated with blue stain fungi) or non–bark beetle–generated deadwood (i.e., deadwood inoculated with just H2O controls) were tested on leaf litter communities after one and seven years to measure both short– and long–term effects. The presence of deadwood led to distinct leaf litter communities compared to no wood across both collection years. However, there was no difference in community composition under logs between deadwood treatments. However, predatory beetles and non-ant Hymenoptera were indicators of bluestained wood. Taxa abundance differed by wood treatment, but richness and detritivore/predator ratio were greater under deadwood versus no deadwood, particularly after seven years. These results contribute to the mounting evidence that deadwood has important impacts on forest biodiversity and that long–term studies are necessary to fully understand deadwood impacts on forest ecosystems.