Authors: Schigel, Dmitry S. & Niemelä, Tuomo & Similä, Maarit & Kinnunen, Juha & Manninen, Olli
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 44 (2004), Issue 1-2, pages 35-56.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.2004.397
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Key words: Basidiomycota, Coleoptera, Hyphodontia latitans, basidiocarp consistency class, beetles, Finland, polypores, ecology
Abstract: Polypores (poroid Basidiomycota) and associated beetles were inventoried in the Koitajoki Natura 2000 area (Ilomantsi municipality) and the Kitsi forest fire area (Lieksa), both belonging to the North Karelian Biosphere Reserve of the EU. As a result 105 polypore species were collected; together with earlier reports by other authors, the amount of species totals 121. This is a high number, surpassed in Finland by a few first-rank nature reserves only. Of the species found, 29 are red listed: 2 endangered (EN: Antrodia crassa (P. Karst.) Ryvarden, Piloporia sajanensis(Parmasto) Niemelä), 11 vulnerable (VU), and 16 near-threatened (NT).Hyphodontia latitans (Bourd. & Galz.) E. Langer has been found in Finland only once from the same area; now it was recollected. The research area is in a way a meeting-point of some northerly species (e.g. Daedaleopsis septentrionalis (P. Karst.) Niemelä, Trichaptum laricinum (P. Karst.) Ryvarden), those with an eastern distribution in Fennoscandia (e.g. Trichaptum pargamenum (Fr.) G. Cunn.), and some southern ones (e.g. Pycnoporellus fulgens (Fr.) Donk). Remarkably numerous were some species which indicate old growth forests of high conservation value (e.g. Amylocystis lapponica (Romell) Singer, Antrodia albobrunnea (Romell) Ryvarden,A. crassa, Fomitopsis rosea (Alb. & Schwein. : Fr.) P. Karst., Phellinus nigrolimitatus(Romell) Bourd. & Galz., Skeletocutis stellae (Pilát) Jean Keller). Beetle imagines were collected from polypore basidiocarps, and their larvae from basidiocarps and underlying decay, and then reared into adults. Special attention was paid to beetles living on rare polypore species. The polypore-associated beetle fauna totals 115 species, including 24 previously unrecorded from the Reserve. Our paper includes beetle records from ca. 30 such polypore species of which no previous beetle finds have been reported in the literature. The ecology of beetles living on fungal basidiocarps is discussed. Polypores can be divided into different ecological groups according to which beetles they attract; a division into basidiocarp consistency classes is proposed to describe such groups. Furthermore, the freshness or decomposition of a basidiocarp determines the amounts of beetles and their larvae, and their species composition.