Eur. J. Entomol. 112(3): 000–000, 2015 doi: 10.14411/eje.2015.049 ISSN 1210-5759 (print), 1802-8829 (online) Measuring saproxylic beetle diversity in small and medium diameter dead wood: The “grab-and-go” method ANNA L.M. MACAGNO 1, 2, SÖNKE HARDERSEN 1, GIANLUCA NARDI 1, GIUSEPPE LO GIUDICE 1, 2 and FRANCO MASON 1 1 CNBFVR – Centro Nazionale per lo Studio e la Conservazione della Biodiversità Forestale “Bosco Fontana” di Verona, Corpo Forestale dello Stato, Strada Mantova 29, 46045 Marmirolo (MN), Italy; e-mails:
[email protected];
[email protected];
[email protected];
[email protected] 2 Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Roma, Italy; e-mail:
[email protected] Key words. Coleoptera, Alps, Apennines, biodiversity, emergence trap, Fagus sylvatica Abstract. Saproxylic organisms play a key role in a variety of forest ecosystem functions, which result in an increase in overall forest productivity and biodiversity. At present, dead wood is frequently removed from exploited forests. Estimating the effect of current forest management on biodiversity, and what gain in biodiversity would result from implementing restoration programs, requires the use of standardized sampling protocols. These protocols need to be suitable for use in different sampling areas and cost effective. In this paper, we developed, tested, and optimized a method for sampling saproxylic insects during a single visit to a sample site (i.e., the “grab-and-go” method). In the spring of 2011, we collected samples of downed decaying small and medium diameter wood debris in two Italian beech forests: Sega di Ala (Alps) and Vallombrosa (Apennines).