From logs to landscapes: determining the scale of ecological processes affecting the incidence of a saproxylic beetle

摘要: 1. Species incidence is influenced by environmental and intrinsic factors operating at multiple scales. The of a dispersal-limited beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (Coleoptera: Passalidae), was surveyed within hierarchically nested organisational levels its environment (log sections < logs 10-m radius subplots 0.66-ha plots) in Louisiana, U.S.A. finest level the size single territory. Passalid beetles are an ecologically prominent group, but little known affecting their incidence. 2. Three scale-sensitive aspects O. were evaluated: (i) extent (52–3600 ha) which forest cover most associated with incidence; (ii) hierarchical variables best predicted (iii) exhibited greatest spatial autocorrelation as result (e.g. dispersal limitation). 3. Forest 225 ha, accounted for only 1.2% variation incidence. Incidence sensitive to measured scale (i.e. territories). positively moderately decayed wood increased surface area (9.9% 3.1% variance, respectively). When for, logs, consistent hypothesis that average distance (<5 m). 4. This study indicates influences acting scales, suggests conditions territories may be important species