Wood-inhabiting cryptogams on dead Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees in managed Swedish boreal forests

We surveyed the quantity and quality of dead Norway spruce (Picea abies (L. ) Karst.) trees and wood-inhabiting cryptogams in a managed boreal forest l andscape in northern Sweden. Size and decay of dead trees was related to su bstrate utilization by wood-inhabiting species. Coarse woody debris (CWD) w as surveyed along 34 strip transects. CWD and wood-inhabiting cryptogams we re surveyed in eight circular plots at each site. A total of 6195 spruce CW D units occurred along strip transects and 809 spruce CWD units in circular plots. On average 2.2 m(3)/ha spruce CWD was found on the plots. The major ity (63%) of the transect CWD units were <10 cm diameter and in early to in termediate decay stages. Sixty-eight wood-specific species of fungi, lichen s, mosses, and hepatics occurred on the plots. Of these, 13 occurred on gre ater than or equal to 5% of the 809 CWD units surveyed for wood-inhabiting species. Eight species occur on the Swedish red lists, indicating that such species are indeed uncommon in managed forests. Red-listed species showed strong preferences for large diameter CWD and CWD in late decay stages, i.e ., substrates that are poorly represented in managed forests. Frequently oc curring species, however showed utilization patterns that correspond with t he distribution of the substrate types.