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Key message <p>In French temperate lowland and mountain forests, the black woodpecker (<i>Dryocopus martius</i> L.) excavates preferably trees in beech-dominated sites, with a lower fraction of small-diameter trees than in the surrounding areas, while the presence of deadwood in the immediate vicinity does not matter.</p> Context <p>The black woodpecker (<i>Dryocopus martius</i> L. 1758) is the largest primary tree cavity excavator in Europe providing nest sites for numerous secondary cavity users. It is seen both as an ecosystem engineer and as a keystone species, providing nesting and roosting habitat for many species and having a positive role for forest biodiversity. As such, this bird has an important conservation role, and its cavities are conserved by foresters in their management. However, the characteristics of its habitat have seldom been quantified from a forestry point of view.</p> Aim <p>By analysing the characteristics of a wide range of temperate forest stands (uneven-aged and even-aged, mountain and lowland), we sought to highlight differences between plots containing or not black woodpecker cavities.</p> Methods <p>We characterised the stand structure (tree diameter, density, composition), the abundance of the understorey (density of saplings) and the midstorey (density of small trees), and the volume of deadwood (standing and lying), and compared the results obtained in plots with black woodpecker cavities (<i>n</i> = 40) with those obtained in paired control plots without cavities (<i>n</i> = 40).</p> Results <p>We found a higher proportion of beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) and a smaller proportion of small-diameter trees in the plots&#xa0;with cavity-trees. Apart from the cavity-tree, we failed to highlight a difference in large-diameter trees. The amount of deadwood and the number of saplings were not decisive.</p> Conclusion <p>To favour the black woodpecker, forest management methods must maintain a sufficient number of large trees for cavity excavation, as well as a relatively open midstorey layer.</p>

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How do forest structure and composition near trees with black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius L.) cavities differ from the surrounding forest? A multisite approach in French forests

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月30日

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  • Vincent Breton,
  • Marie-Emelie Guignot,
  • Lucie Vincenot,
  • Aurélie Husté,
  • Laureline Leclerc,
  • Marc Fuhr,
  • Yoan Paillet

摘要

Key message

In French temperate lowland and mountain forests, the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius L.) excavates preferably trees in beech-dominated sites, with a lower fraction of small-diameter trees than in the surrounding areas, while the presence of deadwood in the immediate vicinity does not matter.

Context

The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius L. 1758) is the largest primary tree cavity excavator in Europe providing nest sites for numerous secondary cavity users. It is seen both as an ecosystem engineer and as a keystone species, providing nesting and roosting habitat for many species and having a positive role for forest biodiversity. As such, this bird has an important conservation role, and its cavities are conserved by foresters in their management. However, the characteristics of its habitat have seldom been quantified from a forestry point of view.

Aim

By analysing the characteristics of a wide range of temperate forest stands (uneven-aged and even-aged, mountain and lowland), we sought to highlight differences between plots containing or not black woodpecker cavities.

Methods

We characterised the stand structure (tree diameter, density, composition), the abundance of the understorey (density of saplings) and the midstorey (density of small trees), and the volume of deadwood (standing and lying), and compared the results obtained in plots with black woodpecker cavities (n = 40) with those obtained in paired control plots without cavities (n = 40).

Results

We found a higher proportion of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and a smaller proportion of small-diameter trees in the plots with cavity-trees. Apart from the cavity-tree, we failed to highlight a difference in large-diameter trees. The amount of deadwood and the number of saplings were not decisive.

Conclusion

To favour the black woodpecker, forest management methods must maintain a sufficient number of large trees for cavity excavation, as well as a relatively open midstorey layer.