Data from: The effects of prescribed fire severity and time post-burn on beetle assemblages in a temperate deciduous forest

Fire is increasingly used as a management tool in temperate deciduous
forests, but the effects of fire on arthropods in these systems remain
unclear. Here, we used flight-intercept traps to sample beetle assemblages
(Coleoptera) in portions of a temperate deciduous forest of eastern North
America subjected to either a higher-severity burn, a lower-severity burn,
or no burn. We collected beetles immediately following the burns and for
up to two years post-burn. Average (±SE) beetle abundance did not differ
between the higher-severity (45 ± 13) and lower-severity (55 ± 26) burns,
but was 2x higher in the burned sites vs. the unburned site (25 ± 6).
Likewise, traps in the two burned sites captured a similar number of
beetle species (17 ± 0.5 and 15 ± 0.5, respectively), and more species
than in the unburned site (12 ± 0.4). These patterns were consistent over
time post-burn in all sites. Beetle composition also consistently differed
between the burned and unburned sites; bark and ambrosia beetles
(Curculionidae: Scolytinae) were the most abundant groups in the burned
sites. Species turnover (beta diversity) was highest in the unburned site.
Eleven species were associated with specific combinations of burn
treatment and time post-burn. The results suggest that fire severity and
time post-burn play key roles in structuring local beetle assemblages, and
that longer fire intervals (>3 years) are required to facilitate
recovery. Measuring beetle responses to fire in temperate deciduous
forests improves our understanding of the effects of disturbance-based
management on local biodiversity.