Do beetles flow?

The occurrence and abundance of wood-boring beetles is determined by the presence of suitable hosts and by their ability to reach them. Landscape connectivity for different insect species has usually been implemented through a binary view of landscapes as habitat and non-habitat “matrix.” However, patch delimitation limits the reality of connectivity metrics. Recently, researchers have proposed the application of gradient surface models for landscape ecological studies. Metrics to measure connectivity for insect species on gradient surfaces are under development. We explored a possible landscape connectivity metric for habitat gradient surfaces based on host tree stress level for a group of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) that attack living hardwood trees based on gravitational flow across the tree stress surface.