Beetles and Spiders as Beetles and Spiders as Indicators of Forest Recovery Indicators of Forest Recovery

on Prince of Wales, Alaskaon Prince of Wales, Alaska

Jill StockbridgeBiology, MS

Entomology DepartmentUniversity of Alaska Museum

• IntroductionIntroduction• BackgroundBackground• ObjectivesObjectives• ApproachApproach• ProductsProducts• CurrentlyCurrently

OutlineOutline

• Invertebrates comprise 95% of Invertebrates comprise 95% of all animal species known todayall animal species known today

• Indicators of ecological changeIndicators of ecological change• Global conservation planningGlobal conservation planning

- Few Studies- Few Studies

IntroductionIntroduction

• Forestry practicesForestry practices

-Significant human disturbance-Significant human disturbance• Converts old growth stands to:Converts old growth stands to:

- Clear cuts- Clear cuts

- Young even-aged stands- Young even-aged stands• Decline of old growth forest Decline of old growth forest

specialistsspecialists

BackgroundBackground

Old growthOld growth

Clear CutClear Cut

Secondary GrowthSecondary Growth

Background continuedBackground continued……• Logging in the Tongass National Logging in the Tongass National

ForestForest• Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Tongass-Wide Young-Growth

Studies (TWYGS)Studies (TWYGS)• TWYGS sites in South East AlaskaTWYGS sites in South East Alaska

-Prince of Wales Island-Prince of Wales Island• Beetles and SpidersBeetles and Spiders

-indicators of recovery-indicators of recovery

1. Compare indicator species2. Compare invertebrate to vertebrate3. Baseline Inventory

Objectives

Compare Indicator Species

3 Controls (6 replicates each):- Old growth- Clear Cuts- Secondary growth

3 Treatments (2 replicates each):- 14X14’- 16X16’- 18X18’

Total: 24 Sites

14X14’ Treatment

16X16’ Treatment16X16’ Treatment

18X18’ Treatment18X18’ Treatment

POW Sites

• Collection Methods:Collection Methods:

- 2 Lindgren Funnels (on loan from USDA)- 2 Lindgren Funnels (on loan from USDA)

- 4 pairs of pitfall traps- 4 pairs of pitfall traps

- Berlese Funnels- Berlese Funnels• Vegetation surveysVegetation surveys• Identify beetles and spiders to speciesIdentify beetles and spiders to species• Statistics: rarefraction curves, Shannon index, Statistics: rarefraction curves, Shannon index,

and Bray-Curtis indexand Bray-Curtis index

Compare Indicator SpeciesCompare Indicator Species

• Drs. Flaherty and Ben-DavidDrs. Flaherty and Ben-David

-University of Wyoming-University of Wyoming• Deer mice responseDeer mice response• Same sites and sampling Same sites and sampling

periodsperiods

Compare Invertebrate to VertebrateCompare Invertebrate to Vertebrate

Baseline Inventory

Coffman Cove

Thorne Bay

Craig

Hydaburg

•Collection Methods: Collection Methods:

- Flight Intercept Trap (FIT)

- Sweep netting

- Black light

- Pollinator bowls

- Beating

- Carrion

- Hand Collecting

Baseline InventoryBaseline Inventory

• Identify to speciesIdentify to species• Help with determinationsHelp with determinations

- beetles Derek Sikes- beetles Derek Sikes

- spiders Joey Slowik- spiders Joey Slowik- butterflies/moths Jim Kruse- butterflies/moths Jim Kruse

• Arctos DatabaseArctos Database

Baseline InventoryBaseline Inventory

•Forestry practices and biodiversity of Forestry practices and biodiversity of beetles and spidersbeetles and spiders•Improve managementImprove management•Alaska’s arthropod checklistAlaska’s arthropod checklist

ProductsProducts

• Project began April 2010Project began April 2010• Defend Thesis Fall 2012Defend Thesis Fall 2012• Over 100 species of beetlesOver 100 species of beetles• Spiders are in queue to be Spiders are in queue to be determined by Joey Slowikdetermined by Joey Slowik

• New species of Mecoptera?New species of Mecoptera?

So Far….So Far….

Family BoreidaeFamily BoreidaeCaurinus Caurinus sp.sp.

Det. Mike Ivey

Lateral ViewLateral View

• Funding from Alaska Department of Fish and Funding from Alaska Department of Fish and GameGame

• Dr. Derek Sikes (major advisor)Dr. Derek Sikes (major advisor)• Joey SlowikJoey Slowik• Dr. Jim KruseDr. Jim Kruse• Casey BickfordCasey Bickford• Diane WagnerDiane Wagner• Dr. Liz FlahertyDr. Liz Flaherty• Dr. Merav Ben DavidDr. Merav Ben David• Dan the mechanic from POWDan the mechanic from POW

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements