Forest clear-cuts support diverse moth fauna but lack common grassland species

Forests ecosystems sustaining most of the terrestrial biodiversity are under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Both the protection of the remaining natural forests and the mitigation of the negative effects of silviculture are of primary conservation concern. Clear-cut areas are the main open habitats in production forests, potentially offering temporary refuge for species from declining semi-natural grasslands. Although several groups of flower-visiting insects, including butterflies, have been reported to thrive in clear-cuts, a taxonomically comprehensive understanding of the insect fauna utilising these habitats is lacking. In this study, we examined the assemblages of nocturnal macromoths (Lepidoptera: Marcoheterocera) in forest clear-cuts of varying age (2–6 years) and regeneration regimes (natural vs. artificial) in Northern Europe. Using automatic sugar-bait traps, we sampled 50 clear-cuts and three pairs of forest-grassland reference sites over two summers. Nocturnal moths of ..., , # Forest clear-cuts support diverse moth fauna but lack common grassland species

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.mkkwh71bn](10.5061/dryad.mkkwh71bn)

## Description of the data and file structure

The data contains species list and abundances of moths sampled in forest clear-cuts, the clear-cut parameters, as well as data from a reference study conducted in forests and meadows, with the purpose of studying forest clear-cut moth assemblages and comparing these to forest and grassland moth fauna. Moths were sampled with automated sugar-bait traps. 

### Files and variables

#### File: clearcut\_2022.xlsx

**Description:** Species list and abundances of moths in samples collected from forest clear-cuts 

##### Variables

* ID (clearcut ID)
* Species name
* Abundance of the species in sample
* Collection date of sample; the trap was set up 5 days previously

#### File: reference\_2023.xlsx

**Description:** Species list and abundances of moths in samples collected from forest and grassland ref...,