How much and at what scale? Multiscale analyses as decision support for conservation of saproxylic oak beetles

A key aspect for understanding species distributions is how they respond to habitat factors at different spatial scales. In this study we used a dataset mapping 33,000 large/hollow oaks, habitat for a guild of saproxylic beetles specialised on oaks at an extent of 10,000 km2. A total of 16 oak-dependent saproxylic species, out of 35, showed a clear relationship with substrate density at scales ranging from 52 m to ⩾5200 m. The characteristic scale of response for species richness of oak specialist species was 2284 m. At this scale, there was a tendency for richness to plateau at about 0.15 oaks ha−1, in which case about 250 hollow or large (circumference 310 cm) oaks would be needed in an area of 1600 ha to ensure a rich saproxylic oak fauna.The main general conclusions were: (i) a multi-scale approach is especially valuable to identify the characteristic scale of response; and that assuming a joint, single scale for all species may result in very poor decision support. (ii) The variation in species’ responses to substrate density at different scales means that habitat loss and fragmentation as well as management and restoration may have very different effects upon different species. (iii) Some species respond both to local and landscape scales, indicating that species occurrences in fragmented oak landscapes are affected both by short-term dynamics of the beetles and long term dynamics of the oak substrate. (iv) Maps, useful as decision support, can be constructed based on resource availability (in our case oak density) and characteristic scales.

► We studied how species respond to habitat factors at different spatial scales.
► Distribution of saproxylic beetles in relation to 33,000 large oaks at 10,000 km2.
► Clear relationship with substrate density at scales from 52 m to ⩾5200 m.
► Characteristic scale of response for species richness of oak species was 2284 m.
► Decision support maps presented based on oak density and characteristic scales.