The biodiversity values of European virgin forests

What makes virgin forests better forests? Biodiversity evaluation depends on the value systems of the stakeholders involved. Indicators for conservation value, ecosystem functions, wilderness, uniqueness, or species richness may not correlate, or even correlate negatively. Based on arthropod data from a comparative study in two types of virgin forests in core areas of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve in Ukraine and managed forests in Switzerland with matching tree species composition, several biodiversity aspects and their underlying value systems are presented and discussed. There were no significant differences in species richness between virgin and managed forests. Most arthropod groups tended to be more divers in managed forests, while saproxylic beetles, and fungi, millipedes and molluscs were more divers in virgin forests.The most obvious assets of virgin forests in terms of biodiversity values are wilderness and uniqueness. The conservation value, focussing on rare and threatened species, seems to be of lesser importance in Central European virgin forests. Other values of forest biodiversity such as species richness and ecosystem functions are unsuitable for valorising virgin forests in comparison to managed forests.