Direct and indirect effects of forest structure and management on insects and bats

Timber-oriented forest management profoundly alters forest structure and composition, with complex effects on associated biodiversity. While today’s forests are predominately in mid-successional stages of development, the direct and indirect effects of forest management and resulting structural characteristics on species, that cascade through trophic levels, are poorly understood. As insectivorous bats are particularly sensitive to changes in forest structure, that shape their available flight space, we investigated how forest structure, composition and management also indirectly modify their habitats, e.g. by affecting important insect prey groups. We used Structural Equation Models (SEMs) to test bat responses to forest composition, structure (forest heterogeneity, old-growth attributes), and management intensity, quantifying direct and indirect prey-mediated effects. For that, three bat guilds – short- (SRE), mid- (MRE), and long-range echolocating (LRE) bats – and their prey (moths ..., , , # Direct and indirect effects of forest structure and management on insects and bats

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xksn02vr1](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xksn02vr1)

## Description of the data and file structure

The dataset was collected in 1 hectare forest plots in the Black Forest to understand the direct and insect-prey mediated effects of  forest management and structure on bats.

It includes forest structural and compositional variables, and index describing the forest management intensity, understory vegetation variables, insect abundance and richness data, and activity data for three bat guilds (SRE,MRE,LRE bats).

### Files and variables

#### File: Hendel\_etal\_2024\_Data\_DRYAD.xlsx

**Description:** 

The dataset was collected in 1 hectare forest plots in the Black Forest to understand the direct and insect-prey mediated effects of  forest management and structure on bats.

It includes forest structural and compositional variables, and index describing the forest manage...,