Beetles and spiders as indicators of forest recovery on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska

Abstract

Commercial logging is among the most important disturbance factors affecting forest biota. An indirect effect of commercial logging is minimal understory within young even-aged forests, which can decrease forest biodiversity. To improve management of young even-aged forest stands within the Tongass National Forest (TNF), foresters are testing alternative forestry practices under the Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Studies (TWYGS). However, little is known about how the new thinning treatments included in the TWYGS will affect forest biota and the recovery of young even-aged forest stands as they transition back into old growth forests. To investigate the effects of thinned secondary growth on forest biota in the TNF on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, I compared spider and beetle biodiversity in thinned secondary growth to old growth forest stands, clearcuts, and un-thinned secondary growth. Pitfall traps, Berlese funnels, and Lindgren© funnel traps were used to collect spiders and beetles in each forest type to compare species richness, diversity, and assemblages, as well as to identify possible ecological indicators within each habitat. I hypothesized that thinned secondary growth would have a mix of old growth and clearcut species and be further in the process of recovery than un-thinned secondary growth. I found that (1) spider and beetle species richness and diversity from thinned secondary growth were not significantly different from other forest treatments; (2) spider assemblages in thinned secondary growth were significantly different from other forest treatments, whereas beetle assemblages were not different; (3) spider and beetle assemblage structure was mainly influenced by Leaf Area Index (LAI) and; (4) spider and beetle ecological indicators of clearcuts and old growth stands were found within thinned and un-thinned secondary growth stands. These findings support my hypothesis that thinned secondary growth would have both old growth and clearcut species; however, thinned secondary growth was not found to be further in the process of recovery than unthinned secondary growth at the time of this study. Although thinned secondary growth was not further in the process of recovery, it did not adversely affect the biodiversity of spiders and beetles. My results suggest that logging on Prince of Wales Island can change spider and beetle assemblages, but it doesn't negatively impact species richness or diversity. Thinned secondary growth spider and beetle biodiversity may be in the process of recovery to the biodiversity seen in old growth forests. Therefore, spider and beetle biodiversity may resemble old growth forest biodiversity as LAI values increase with closing canopy in thinned secondary growth forest stands. In addition, a checklist of arthropods collected on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, as part of this work, combined with records from other projects and publications, are included followed by a description of a new species I discovered, Caurinus tlagu Sikes & Stockbridge 2013 (Mecoptera, Boreidae, Caurininae).