| Document informations | ||
| Author(s): | Karin Schiegg et al. | |
| Original article: | Schiegg, K., Obrist, M., Duelli, P., Merz, B. & Ewald, K. C. (1999): Diptera and Coleoptera collected in the Forest Reserve Sihlwald ZH. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 72: 289-302. | |
| Online version: | modified, Status: 04.05.2005 | |
| Editorial office: | WSL, CH | |
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20 Insect Species Discovered
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Empis stercorea Photo: B. Wermelinger (WSL) |
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Machimus sp. Photo: B. Wermelinger (WSL) |
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Forcipomyia sihlwaldensis (Ceratopogonidae), a gnat species new to science. Drawing: V. Fataar (WSL) |
The discovery of new insect species – these are headlines usually only coming from a tropical rain forest or maybe even from remote areas of . This is not necessarily true! A scientist from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Karin Schiegg, discovered in 1998 about 20 new fly and gnat species right by the gates of Zürich; species, which so far have been unknown to science. The specimens were identified by 30 experts from both and abroad. Furthermore, the biologist discovered over 50 new fly and gnat species found for the first time in Switzerland.
The insects were caught in the Sihlwald, a forest reserve established only recently. Within the objectives of a doctoral dissertation, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, biologist Schiegg conducted a study in the Sihlwald from 1996 – 1999, which investigated flies, gnats and beetles that are associated with dead wood. Many dead wood species are extinct or are highly endangered despite their great importance for the forest ecosystem. They play an important role in the decomposition of dead wood and thereby make nutrients again available to plants.
Karin Schiegg wanted to determine how the amount and arrangement of
the dead wood affected the number of species and the abundance of these
insects. Compared to other forests, the Sihlwald contains a large amount of
dead wood, which made it very suitable for such a study. Some of her main findings
were:
- A total of approximately 1,100 fly and gnat species and over 500 beetle species could be identified which among them had many previously unknown species. To date 6,100 fly and gnat species and 6,300 beetle species have been identified in Switzerland.
- More insects are living within dead limbs of European beech (Fagus silvatica L.) than in dead trunks of this tree species.
- There was no massive reproduction of species known as forest pests in dead wood rich areas.
On the basis of the Sihlwald studies the scientist developed recommendations as to how much dead wood should be left in the forest. She was able to prove that leaving dead limbs benefits species diversity significantly, which is reassuring for all foresters who have left dead wood in the stands for many years. Allowing dead wood to accumulate in forests provides habitats for many animal and plant species which, otherwise, may go extinct in cleaned forest stands.
| Note worthy: One of the gnat species found in the Sihlwald is called Forcipomyia sihlwaldensis (see Fig.). |
Literature
- Schiegg, K. 2000. Are there saproxylic beetle species characteristic for high dead wood connectivity? Ecography 23:579-587.
- Schiegg, K. 2000. Effects of dead wood volume and connectivity on saproxlic insect species diversity. Écoscience 7:290-298.
- Schiegg, K. 2001. Saproxylic insect diversity of beech: limbs are richer than trunks. Forest Ecology and Management 149:295-304.
Links
- Insects in the forest ecosystem
- Deadwood as a habitat for insects
- Deadwood as a Habitat (Coarse Woody Debris)
Contact
- Karin Schiegg
Zoological Institute of the of Zürich
Winterthurerstr. 190
8057 Zürich
Tel. +41 1 635 49 82
e-mail: kschiegg @ zool.unizh.ch
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