Schigel D.S. 2011. Fungus–beetle food web patterns in boreal forests // Russian Entomol. J. Vol.20. No.2: 141–150 [in English].
Metapopulation Research Group, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1) FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: dmitry.shchigel@helsinki.fi
KEY WORDS: Fungivory, Coleoptera, Basidiomycetes, trophic interactions, taiga, Finland.
ABSTRACT. Fungivorous Coleoptera were studied in seven protected boreal forests in northern, eastern and southern Finland. Trophic interactions of wood-decaying Basidiomycetes and community structure among Coleoptera were approached with a food web analysis. 87 links of the 37 commonest polypore species (24 of them beetle-colonized) and 32 associated beetle species were summarized in a unified diagram. Thirteen (35%) of the 37 commonest polypore species hosted no beetle larvae. The fungus-beetle community is described through host–consumer relations as seen from frequencies of fungal fruit bodies in forest compartments and from frequencies of occurrence of beetle larvae in these fungi. Lignicolous fungi with perennial fruit bodies support more beetle species than those with annual fruit bodies.