Can 'continuity indicator species' predict species richness or red-listed species of saproxylic beetles?

This study investigates the relationship between the abundance of wood-rott ing fungus suggested as 'continuity indicator species' and environmental va riables for the assemblage of saproxylic (wood-living) beetles associated w ith Fomitopsis pinicola fruiting bodies in a mature spruce forest in southe astern Norway. The presence of species thought to indicate continuity in ol d growth is one of the criteria used when finding and delineating small pro tected areas ('woodland key habitats') in Scandinavian forestry. Although i t is clear that remnants of old-growth forest are important for many taxa, documentation as to which entities or species the indicator species indeed indicate is scarce. If stands with a continuous and unbroken input of dead wood have a unique assemblage of wood-rotting fungi, it seems relevant to a sk if these stands also have a unique assemblage of rare saproxylic beetles . I find that the indicator species exhibit no significant correlations wit h beetle species richness or with the presence of red-listed saproxylic bee tles as a group. The different characteristics of dead wood conditions are the most important environmental variables that explain both the species ri chness and the presence of red-listed beetles. Single-species analyses reve al contrasting relationships. The red-listed beetle Atomaria alpina shows a significant and positive association to the abundance of indicator species . Contrary, a group of three red-listed species with similar ecology in the family Cisidae exhibits a significant and negative association to indicato r species abundance. This indicates that important patterns are concealed w hen considering general measures such as overall presence of red-listed bee tles. Single-species studies are necessary in order to correctly understand how rare beetles respond to forestry activities and to develop a policy th at can secure their continuing existence in the boreal forest.