Supplement

Table S1 List ofplots, plot ID, temperature,elevation and coordinates.

Plot / ID / Temperature / Elevation / Northing / Easting
1 / Isa_30 / 8.27 / 319 / 48°46'26.3'' / 12°56'56.3''
2 / Isa_32 / 8.26 / 321 / 48°46'46.7'' / 12°59'51.9''
3 / Isa_31 / 8.25 / 324 / 48°47'36.9'' / 12°58'16.3''
4 / Sal_23 / 7.20 / 475 / 48°47'31.3'' / 13°19'55.2''
5 / Igg_34 / 7.21 / 480 / 48°45'55.8'' / 13°12'27.2''
6 / Rin_15 / 7.31 / 481 / 48°48'59.1'' / 13°29'02.5''
7 / NP_38 / 6.75 / 615 / 49°03'17.2'' / 13°15'02.8''
8 / NP_37 / 6.61 / 617 / 49°03'37.4'' / 13°15'27.9''
9 / Reh_03 / 5.92 / 620 / 48°52'45.9" / 13°20'55.2"
10 / T3_19 / 6.02 / 720 / 49°04'11.3'' / 13°17'55.0''
11 / T1_14 / 5.81 / 777 / 48°55'31.7'' / 13°24'34.0''
12 / T1_06 / 5.56 / 785 / 48°55'10.5'' / 13°24'09.6''
13 / T1_51 / 5.88 / 905 / 48°56'58.0'' / 13°26'15.0''
14 / T4_48 / 5.35 / 933 / 49°06'17.5'' / 13°15'44.4''
15 / T4_49 / 5.35 / 933 / 49°06'07.4'' / 13°15'54.3''
16 / T3_33 / 4.52 / 1093 / 49°04'53.0'' / 13°18'22.2''
17 / T3_38 / 4.50 / 1095 / 49°05'08.7'' / 13°18'31.3''
18 / T3_39 / 4.48 / 1100 / 49°05'11.2'' / 13°18'33.2''
19 / T4_73 / 4.22 / 1217 / 49°06'12.3'' / 13°17'49.9''
20 / T4_72 / 4.21 / 1225 / 49°06'12.0'' / 13°17'45.6''
21 / T3_52 / 4.07 / 1227 / 49°05'45.5'' / 13°19'05.2''

Table S2 List of recorded species of necrophagous beetles and families of flies. For each taxon we give also the number of sampled individuals. In the main text we have rounded the figures to make clear that these given numbers may have large error margins.

Family / Species / Individuals
Beetles
Cholevidae / Apocatopsnigritus / 137
Cholevidae / Catopscoracinus / 73
Cholevidae / Catopskirbyi / 4
Cholevidae / Catops longulus / 2
Cholevidae / Catops neglectus / 2
Cholevidae / Catops nigricans / 4
Cholevidae / Catops nigriclavis / 2
Cholevidae / Catops picipes / 17
Cholevidae / Catops subfuscus / 76
Cholevidae / Catops tristis / 228
Cholevidae / Sciodrepoides fumatus / 85
Cholevidae / Sciodrepoides watsoni / 110
Dermestidae / Dermestes murinus / 13
Geotrupidae / Anoplotrupes stercorarius / 124
Histeridae / Hister cadaverinus / 61
Histeridae / Saprinus planiusculus / 103
Leptinidae / Leptinus testaceus / 2
Nitidulidae / Omosita depressa / 12
Silphidae / Necrodes littoralis / 10
Silphidae / Necrophorus humator / 141
Silphidae / Necrophorus investigator / 270
Silphidae / Necrophorus vespillo / 174
Silphidae / Necrophorus vespilloides / 5258
Silphidae / Oiceoptoma thoracicum / 809
Silphidae / Phosphuga artrata / 5
Silphidae / Thanatophilus rugosus / 18
Silphidae / Thanatophilus sinuatus / 2599
Sphaeritidae / Sphaerites glabratus / 4
Staphylinidae / Aleochara bilineata / 54
Staphylinidae / Aleochara curtula / 125
Staphylinidae / Anotylus nitidulus / 40
Staphylinidae / Aploderus caelatus / 24
Staphylinidae / Atheta nigricornis / 404
Staphylinidae / Atheta spec2 / 759
Staphylinidae / Atheta spec3 / 7
Staphylinidae / Bisnius fimetarius / 218
Staphylinidae / Lathrimaeum atrocephalum / 206
Staphylinidae / Megarthrus depressus / 45
Staphylinidae / Omalium caesum / 6446
Staphylinidae / Omalium rivulare / 71
Staphylinidae / Ontholestes tesselatus / 165
Staphylinidae / Oxytelus laqueatus / 3
Staphylinidae / Oxytelus sculptus / 5
Staphylinidae / Philonthus cruentatus / 2
Staphylinidae / Philonthus laevicollis / 5
Staphylinidae / Philonthus marginatus / 172
Staphylinidae / Philonthus splendens / 8
Staphylinidae / Philonthus succicola / 225
Staphylinidae / Philonthus varians / 16
Staphylinidae / Placusaincompleta / 42
Staphylinidae / Placusatachyporoides / 3
Staphylinidae / Platydracus latebricola / 1
Staphylinidae / Proteinus atomarius / 64
Staphylinidae / Proteinus brachypterus / 17
Staphylinidae / Proteinus laevigatus / 54
Staphylinidae / Proteinus longicornis / 86
Staphylinidae / Quedius cinctus / 30
Staphylinidae / Quedius fuliginosus / 48
Staphylinidae / Quedius lucidulus / 13
Staphylinidae / Tachinus laticollis / 28
Staphylinidae / Tachinus rufipes / 786
Staphylinidae / Thamiaraea cinnamomea / 103
Staphylinidae / Sepedophilus immaculatus / 1
Flies
Muscidae / 16587
Calliphoridae / 7668
Fanniidae / 19710
Sarcophagidae / 730
Phoridae / 3002
Drosophilidae / 4915
Sphaeroceridae / 3942
Scatophagidae / 559
Anthomyiidae / 628
Dryomyzidae / 1464
Heleomyzidae / 1929
Sepsidae / 2139
Ephydridae / 1
Piophilidae / 1267
Lauxaniidae / 2
Acarthophthalmidae / 238

Fig. S1 Scheme and picture of traps for sampling insects using carrion consisting of a large (5l) and small plastic bottle (0.5l). A mesh wire with the small mammal bait was inserted to the large bottle that was entrenched in the soil to protect it from larger scavengers. Small opening at ground level allowed access of insects to the bait. The small bottle served at the top of the large bottle as collecting bottle for insects. Both bottles were filled with collection fluid (70% ethanol) to conserve the insects.

Fig. S2 Photographs of the different stages of carrion decomposition: 1 fresh, 2 bloated, 3 active decay, 4 advanced decay, 5 dry, 6 remains.

Fig. S3 Relationship between (a) beetle richness and (b) abundance and the abundance component (PC1-score) for beetle species and between (c) fly richness and (d) abundance and the abundance component (PC1-score) for fly family. White points depict May, grey points depict July and black points depict September.

Fig. S4Proportion of flies in relation to temperature. White points depict May, grey points depict July and black points depict September.

Fig. S5Number of necrophagous vs. other beetle individuals captured in the extensive biodiversity monitoring program of BIOKLIM with 220 pitfall- and flight interception traps from May to September in 2006-2008 in the Bohemian Forest ranging from 330m to 1450m a.s.l. (Bässler et al. 2008). Note that mice decomposition was investigated on a subset of these plots.

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