Sammanfattning

In northern Europe, a long history of land use has led to profound changes within forest ecosystems. The white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) is one of several specialised forest species whose populations have declined. Conservation management directed at this species' habitat has made it a de facto umbrella species for conservation of the biodiversity associated with forests rich in deciduous trees and dead wood. We assessed empirically the value of the white-backed woodpecker as an indicator and umbrella species in central Sweden. Occurrence of the woodpecker in breeding bird atlas squares (5 x 5 km(2)) indicated high species richness of forest birds, particularly species of special conservation concern, which included on average 13% more species in squares with than without the woodpecker. The number of red-listed cryptogam species expected to benefit from conservation actions directed at white-backed woodpecker habitats was higher in squares where the woodpecker bred compared to where is was absent. However, no such pattern was found for red-listed beetles, a group with very few records in the studied squares. White-backed woodpecker occurrence was positively associated with the current area of deciduous and mixed forest of high conservation value. Considering its indicator value, its specialised habitat requirements and its potential as a communication tool, using the white-backed woodpecker as an umbrella species may provide a coarse filter for the conservation of several other deciduous forest species. However, focusing solely on white-backed woodpecker habitat may not provide for the conservation of all such species, which stresses the need for a suite of complementary planning approaches.

Nyckelord

boreal forests; conservation planning; dead wood; deciduous forests; dendrocopos leucotos; indicator species; protected areas; umbrella species; white-backed woodpecker; woodland key habitats

Publicerad i

Biodiversity and Conservation
2008, Volym: 17, nummer: 10, sidor: 2479-2494
Utgivare: SPRINGER

SLU författare

• Roberge, Jean-Michel

  • Skogsmästarskolan, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Institutionen för ekologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Jyväskylän yliopisto

• Mikusinski, Grzegorz

  • Skogsmästarskolan, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Institutionen för ekologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Globala målen

SDG15 Skydda, återställa och främja ett hållbart nyttjande av landbaserade ekosystem, hållbart bruka skogar, bekämpa ökenspridning, hejda och vrida tillbaka markförstöringen samt hejda förlusten av biologisk mångfald


UKÄ forskningsämne

Skogsvetenskap
Miljö- och naturvårdsvetenskap


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9394-4

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/19482