This study has shown that nature reserves differed from production forests with larger amounts of deadwood and more variation of diameter size classes and decay stages. Nature reserves also contained higher species richness and abundance, with most of the indicator and red-listed species occurring in the reserves. Retention areas in the production forests did not contribute to species richness of indicator and red-listed species to any large degree. This shows that there is a need to increase the volume of deadwood, and variation of the diameter classes and decay stages in Sweden’s production forests. In this way production forests could become better habitats and be able to contain and preserve biodiversity. It also shows the importance of finding and keep protecting forests with long continuity with quality habitat for the threatened species to be able to preserve these.
