Species- and trait-based responses of carabids to rotation and closer-to-nature forestry in a temperate forest under changing climate

European temperate forests are managed by various silvicultural practices that can impact ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in terms of species composition and abundance. However, the responses at the assemblage or community level may not provide sufficient insight into how individual species react to forest management. We examined the species- and trait-based mid-term (2014–2018) responses of the eight most common carabid species in a managed oak-hornbeam forest in Hungary. The studied forestry treatments included preparation cutting, clear-cutting, green tree retention, gap cutting, and undisturbed control plots. Species responses varied across forestry treatments and years, but clear-cutting consistently had a negative impact on multiple species, particularly on Abax parallelepipedus, Aptinus bombarda, and Carabus hortensis. In contrast, the abundance of Carabus coriaceus and Carabus ullrichii declined after an initial burst in the newly established treatments. Functional traits..., , , # **Species- and trait-based responses of carabids to rotation and closer-to-nature forestry in a temperate forest under changing climate**

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wdbrv15zv](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wdbrv15zv)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains species- and trait-specific changes in the abundance of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected in a Hungarian oak-hornbeam forest managed under different forestry treatments. These treatments represented two different silvicultural systems: the rotation forestry system characterized by preparation cuttings, clear-cuttings, and green tree retentions, while small-scale gaps represented the most widely used treatment from the closer-to-nature forestry. Additionally, there were undisturbed control plots without any treatment. The study design followed a complete block design, employing six blocks as replicates.

Carabid data collection followed the Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) concept. ...,