Conifer host identity shapes wood‐boring beetle communities more than climate across a latitudinal forest gradient in Quebec (Canada)

Abstract Understanding the ecological drivers of beetle species assemblages associated with dead wood is essential for anticipating the effects of climate change on forest biodiversity and ecosystem processes. In northeastern North America, studies examining forest beetle diversity at a large scale remain scarce yet are necessary to guide management practices across forested landscapes. Using a latitudinal gradient approach across the forests of Quebec, we investigated how climate and host tree identity influence the species richness, abundance and community composition of wood‐boring beetles colonizing the boles of four conifer tree species in their early decay stages. Our results show that host tree species exert a considerably stronger influence on beetle assemblages than climate. Among the tree species studied, black spruce boles supported the most diverse and abundant communities, while eastern hemlock supported the fewest species. White pine was consistently colonized by beetles even beyond the northern border of its natural range, suggesting that a more generalist host use may be common for wood‐boring beetles in the boreal forest. Although species richness tended to decrease with latitude, regional differences in beetle community composition demonstrate the need for retention of diverse coarse woody debris across all climatic regions for biodiversity conservation. Additionally, the detection of the invasive species Xylosandrus germanus in the southernmost sites raises concerns about potential northward expansion of this pest along the climate gradient. Our results highlight the importance of considering tree species identity in forest management strategies to support beetle diversity under a changing climate.