Species diversity of Saproxylic beetles in Beech forests of Gilan province

Decaying trees are a rich source of saproxylic insects in the forests, particularly Coleoptera, which are not only an important part of biodiversity in the forests but also play an important role in the carbon cycle. Among the saproxylic insects, Coleoptera, with a great diversity and species abundance, are very important. Given that biodiversity conservation is indispensable for sustainable development, thus it is very important to recognize the diversity of forest complex ecosystems. In order to identify the species of saproxylic beetles in the beech Gilan forests (Asalem and Shafarood), sampling was done using pitfall traps and window traps during the years 2017-2018 in managed and unmanaged (reserve) parts of forests. In this study, 20 species belonging to nine families of saproxylic beetles were identified. The species diversity of saproxylic beetles in unmanaged forests was more than managed ones. Also, it was found that species abundance was highest in June and July, and the population peak of these beetles was in June, indicating the best time for studying saproxylic beetles’ communities.