Data from: Response of beetles (Coleoptera) to repeated applications of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction techniques in the southern Appalachian Mountains

Coleoptera are important components of forest ecosystems and can be affected by forest management schemes aimed at limiting fuel build-up. Our research objective was to determine if repeated applications of fuel reduction treatments resulted in changes in abundance or diversity of beetle (Coleoptera) families, genera, and species within upland mixed hardwood forests in the southern Appalachians Mountains, North Carolina, USA. We established three replicate blocks (∼56 ha) and split each block into four fuel reduction treatments. Treatments included prescribed burning, mechanical felling, a combination of prescribed burning and mechanical felling, and a control (i.e., no fuel reduction techniques applied). We implemented treatments multiple times (2 mechanical thinnings and 4 prescribed burns) over the course of a 15-year period. Using pitfall and colored pan traps, we captured 7037 coleopterans comprised of 62 families over a three-year period. Total coleopteran abundance and diversity were similar across all treatments; however, some beetle families, genera, and species responded to treatments. Nitidulidae were significantly more abundant within controls compared to all other treatments in 2015, whereas Mordellidae generally had higher abundances in mechanical and burns compared to mechanical in 2015 and mechanical and controls in 2016. Chrysomelidae was significantly more abundant in mechanical and burns compared to all other treatments over the entire duration of the study. However, Staphylinidae abundance was significantly lower in mechanical and burns compared to the other treatments. Numerous genera and species also showed variable treatment-level responses. Burn treatments killed some mature trees and reduced forest canopy cover, resulting in higher light availability and thereby greater herbaceous cover and diversity on the forest floor. This vegetation in the understory of burned treatment units may be partially responsible for many of the treatment-level responses of beetle taxa we documented. This study took place after several rounds of fuel reduction techniques were applied over a 15 year period. Some beetle abundance responses were immediate; whereas other groups seemed to be influenced by the application of treatments over time, highlighting the need to examine long-term responses to forest management practices.This research was funded by a USDA-Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP Project Number: 09-1-10-1).

鞘翅目（Coleoptera）昆虫是森林生态系统的重要组成部分，其群落特征易受以限制可燃物累积为目标的森林经营方案影响。本研究旨在探究：在美国北卡罗来纳州阿巴拉契亚山脉南部的高地混合硬木林中，反复实施的可燃物削减措施是否会导致鞘翅目昆虫的科、属、种的多度与多样性发生变化。
我们设置了3个重复样地（每个约56公顷），并将每个样地划分为4组可燃物削减处理，分别为计划火烧、机械采伐、计划火烧与机械采伐联合处理，以及对照组（即未施加任何可燃物削减措施）。在为期15年的研究周期内，我们多次实施上述处理，累计开展2次机械疏伐与4次计划火烧。
本研究采用地表陷阱与彩色盘诱捕器进行采样，在3年的采样周期内共捕获鞘翅目昆虫7037头，隶属于62个科。所有处理组的鞘翅目总多度与多样性均无显著差异，但部分科、属、种的鞘翅目昆虫对处理措施存在响应。2015年，对照组的露尾甲科（Nitidulidae）昆虫多度显著高于其余所有处理组；2015年机械采伐与计划火烧联合组的花蚤科（Mordellidae）昆虫多度显著高于单纯机械采伐组，2016年则显著高于单纯机械采伐组与对照组。在整个研究周期内，机械采伐与计划火烧联合组的叶甲科（Chrysomelidae）昆虫多度显著高于其余所有处理组；而该组的隐翅甲科（Staphylinidae）昆虫多度则显著低于其余处理组。此外，诸多鞘翅目昆虫的属与种也对处理措施表现出各异的响应模式。
计划火烧处理会伐倒部分成熟林木并降低林分冠层盖度，进而提升林下光照可用性，最终增加林下草本层的盖度与多样性。火烧处理样地内的林下植被变化，可能是本研究观测到的鞘翅目类群对处理措施产生响应的部分原因。本研究在累计实施15年可燃物削减措施后开展。部分鞘翅目昆虫的多度响应具有即时性，而其余类群的多度则似乎随处理措施的持续施加而受到累积影响，这凸显了探究森林经营措施长期响应的必要性。
本研究由美国农业部联合火灾科学项目（USDA-Joint Fire Science Program，项目编号：09-1-10-1）资助。