Tree cavities are a keystone resource for many wildlife species worldwide. In Andean temperate forestsTree cavities are a keystone resource for many wildlife species worldwide. In Andean temperate forestsof South America, many species of birds, mammals and reptiles use cavities to achieve their life historyrequirements. However, information on cavity supply and drivers of cavity production in these forests remainslargely undocumented. We examined the patterns of tree-cavity supply in successional native forests, exploringthe potential drivers of cavity occurrence and relative abundances in Andean temperate ecosystems of southernChile. In 10 forest stands, we established 369 vegetation plots and measured 7951 trees. For each tree, werecorded the species and measured the diameter at breast height (DBH), decay class and number of cavities.While tree density was much higher in secondary than in old-growth forest stands, the density of nonexcavatedcavities was higher in old-growth than in secondary forests. Cavity occurrence and relative abundances (numberof cavities per tree) were higher in large decaying and standing dead trees (i.e. habitat legacies) than in younghealthy trees. Importantly, DBH and decay had a stronger influence on the supply of nonexcavated than excavatedcavities. Our results highlight the importance of old-growth forest stands, tree decay processes and habitatlegacies for securing a continuous supply of a keystone habitat resource for tree cavity-using wildlife in a globalbiodiversity hotspot of South America.

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