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.