Comparison of Early Seral Forest Bee Communities Following Clearcutting or Wildfire Depends on Stand Age and Nesting Guild

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44392-025-00016-1

Journal of Forestry April 2025

Authors
Graham S. Frank, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University
James W. Rivers, Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, Oregon State University
Jake Verschuyl, NCASI
Lincoln R. Best, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University
Matthew G. Betts, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University
Andrew J. Kroll, Weyerhaeuser Company
Mark E. Swanson, School of the Environment, Washington State University
Meg A. Krawchuk, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University

Abstract
Forest harvesting can create habitat for wild bees, but with potentially different characteristics from habitats created by natural disturbance such as wildfire. We evaluated how bee communities varied between early seral stands regenerated by wildfire or intensively managed stands regenerated by clearcut harvest up to 20 years post-disturbance, using a chronosequence design in southwest Oregon. We also compared bee communities supported by post-fire salvage logging, 6–9 years post-disturbance. Clearcut stands supported higher bee abundance (90% CI: 36, 255%) and species richness (90% CI: 24.6, 44.8%) than fire-origin stands initially, but lower abundance (90% CI: –21, –71%) and species richness (90% CI: –51.4, –66.5%) in the oldest stands. Solitary nesting species associated with dead wood (mostly Osmia spp.) were more abundant in fire-origin stands. Our results indicate that clearcut harvest creates habitat for most wild bees adapted to stand-replacing fire but compromises habitat longevity and limits dead wood nesting habitat.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Early successional forest, Intensive forest management, Pollinators, Salvage logging, Klamath Mountains