The Dispersal Rate of a Beetle, Osmoderma eremita, Living in Tree Hollows

• Published in: Oecologia 2001-02, Vol.126 (3), p.363-370
• Main Authors: RANIUS, Thomas, HEDIN, Jonas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Beetles; Biological and medical sciences; Butterflies; Demecology; Ecological genetics; Forest habitats; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitat conservation; Insect ecology; Metapopulation ecology; Population ecology; Population size; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Trees
• ISSN: 0029-8549; 1432-1939
• DOI: 10.1007/s004420000529

The dispersal of an endangered beetle, Osmoderma eremita, that lives in tree hollows, was studied by mark-release-recapture with pitfall traps. As only a small proportion of all dispersals is observed by this method, a simulation model was constructed to estimate the dispersal rate per individual. The model results suggest that 15% of the adults leave the original tree for another hollow tree, and consequently most individuals remain in the same tree throughout their entire life. This suggests that each hollow tree sustains a local population with limited connection with the populations in surrounding trees. It supports the view that O. eremita has a metapopulation structure, with each tree possibly sustaining a local population, and with the population in an assemblage of trees forming a metapopulation. Low dispersal rate and range make the species vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, probably at a scale of only a few hundred meters.