Linking Biodiversity,the Environment and Ecosystem Functioning: Ecological Functions of Dung Beetles Along a Tropical Elevational Gradient

Biodiversity loss and anthropogenic environmental changes are known to impact ecosystem functions and services. However, there are still some uncertainties such as confounding environmental factors other than community attributes that affect ecosystem functioning. Our goal was to understand what factors influence the performance of Scarabaeinae dung beetle functions, testing the hypothesis that both community attributes and environmental variables influence the performance. Toward this aim, we collected dung beetles along an elevational gradient (800–1400 m a.s.l.) in the Espinhaço mountain range (Brazil) and quantified dung beetle functions, that is, dung removal, soil excavation and secondary seed dispersal. We recorded data on environmental factors related to climate, soil and vegetation and evaluated their effects on dung beetle functions. Dung beetle ecological functions declined with elevation and the decrease was more pronounced than richness, indicating that there are other factors involved in functions performance besides diversity of beetles. Indeed, we found that the ecological functions measured were dependent on both dung beetle community attributes and environmental factors. Climate, soil and vegetation influenced dung beetle function performance as much as richness, abundance and body size. Dung beetle functional diversity did not explain any of the functions measured. Our study demonstrates that ecological functions are directly influenced by both community attributes and environmental variables and confirms the link between biodiversity, environment and ecosystem functioning.     

Forest complexity drives dung beetle assemblages along an edge-interior gradient in the southwest Amazon rainforest

1. The habitat heterogeneity hypothesis predicts that heterogeneous habitats may provide more niches and diverse ways of exploiting environmental resources, thereby allowing more species to coexist, persist and diversify. 2. We aimed to investigate how an edge-interior gradient related to forest complexity influences species composition, abundance and richness of dung beetles in the western Amazon rainforest. We expected dung beetle abundance and richness to increase along the forest edge-interior gradient, in accordance with the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. We also expected strong changes in species composition driven by species turnover in the forest interior and nestedness along the forest edges. We sampled dung beetles using baited pitfall traps across an edge-interior gradient. We also assessed the variation in forest features along the edge-interior gradient to identify changes in forest complexity. 3. Both species richness and abundance of dung beetles increased along the forest edge-interior, following the gradient of forest complexity. The Sorensen dissimilarity of dung beetle assemblages was higher among sampling units placed near the forest edge, although neither turnover, nor nestedness was different between the extremes of the forest edge-interior gradient. There was a clear compositional change along the edge-interior gradient mostly driven by species turnover. Individual indicator value analysis revealed that species were strongly associated with the forest interior conditions. 4. The simplification of the Amazon rainforest near clearings causes compositional changes in dung beetle assemblages. These changes are characterised by species-poor and low-abundance assemblages and may impair dung beetle ecological functions and therefore forest recovery.     

Nesting strategies affect altitudinal distribution and habitat use in Alpine dung beetle communities

1. Dung beetles are key contributors to a suite of ecosystem services. Understanding the factors that dictate their distributions is a necessary step towards preventing negative impacts of biodiversity loss. 2. Alpine dung beetle communities were analysed along altitudinal gradients to assess how different components of the community, defined in terms of nesting strategy [dung‐ovipositing Aphodiidae (DOAs), soil‐ovipositing Aphodiidae (SOAs) and two paracoprid (PAR) groups, Geotrupidae and Scarabaeidae] and parameters relevant to dung removal rates (species richness, total biomass and functional diversity), are distributed, and to identify to which environmental factors they respond. 3. Species richness declined with altitude. There was no significant variation in functional diversity or total biomass in relation to altitude. There were significant variations when considered by nesting group: DOA species richness and biomass decreased, SOA biomass increased, and Geotrupidae biomass showed a non‐linear trend, as altitude increased. 4. Functional diversity and total species richness were positively related to vegetation cover. DOA species richness was highest in forest and scrub; SOA species richness was highest in grassland and PAR species richness was lowest in rocky areas. 5. Dung beetle species show different trends in species richness and biomass depending on nesting strategy. Management to promote the dung beetle community should include maintenance of a mosaic of habitat types. Given the likely importance of species richness and biomass to ecosystem functioning, and the complimentary effect of different dung beetle groups, such a strategy may protect and enhance the ecosystem services that Alpine dung beetles provide.     

Landscape diversity of pasture dung beetle communities in the central region of mainland Japan and implications for conservation management

We studied the diversity of dung beetle communities in Japanese pastures to identify the factors that maintain or enhance the diversity of dung beetles at a landscape scale. We surveyed dung beetles from 17 pastures located in the northeastern part of Tochigi Prefecture, which is in the center of mainland Japan. From 1999 to 2001, surveys were conducted during the 6-month grazing period (May to October) by using dung baited basket traps. We also collected information about the environmental conditions and pasture management practices. Twenty-five dung beetle species belonging to Geotrupinae, Scarabaeinae, and Aphodiinae (including 13 tunneler and 12 dweller species) were recorded. The abundance of dweller species decreased with increasing elevation, possibly because of the effect of rainfall, whereas the species richness of tunneler species was affected by cattle disturbance and soil condition. Beetle species richness significantly increased with the number of years that the pastures had been grazed. Ivermectin administration did not appear to have any adverse effect on dung beetle abundance, species richness, or species diversity. The dung beetle datasets of the current study (including specific tunneler and dweller beetle groups) supported the widely documented positive relationship between local abundance and species distribution ranges. The within pasture, within area, and between area hierarchical additive partitioning of regional total diversity indicated that landscape-scale management should be implemented to conserve the regional diversity of the dung beetle communities inhabiting Japanese pastures.     

Does natural reforestation represent a potential threat to dung beetle diversity in the Alps?

Traditional agro-pastoral practices are in decline over much of the Alps, resulting in the complete elimination of livestock grazing in some areas. Natural reforestation following pastoral abandonment may represent a significant threat to alpine biodiversity, especially that associated with open habitats. This study presents the first assessment of the potential effects of natural reforestation on dung beetles by exploring the relationships between the beetle community (abundance, diversity, species turnover and assemblage structure) and the vegetation stages of ecological succession following pastoral abandonment. A hierarchical sampling design was used in the montane belt of the Sessera Valley (north-western Italian Alps). Dung beetles were sampled across 16 sampling sites set in four habitat types corresponding to four different successional stages (pasture, shrub, pioneer forest and beech forest) at two altitudinal levels. The two habitats at the extremes of the ecological succession, i.e. pasture and beech forest, had the greatest effect on the structure of local dung beetle assemblages. Overall, dung beetle abundance was greater in beech forest, whereas species richness, Shannon diversity and taxonomic diversity were significantly higher in pasture, hence suggesting this latter habitat can be considered as a key conservation habitat. Forests and pastures shared a lower number of species than the other pairs of habitats (i.e. species turnover between these two habitats was the highest). The two intermediate seral stages, i.e. shrub and pioneer forest, showed low dung beetle abundance and diversity values. Local dung beetle assemblages were also dependent on season and altitude; early-arriving species were typical of pastures of high elevation, whereas late-arriving species were typical of beech forests. It is likely that grazing in the Alps will continue to decrease in the future leading to replacement of open habitats by forest. This study suggests therefore that, at least in the montane belt, reforestation may have potentially profound and negative effects on dung beetle diversity. Maintaining traditional pastoral activities appears to be the most promising approach to preserve open habitats and adjacent beech forests, resulting in the conservation of species of both habitats.     

Dung beetle communities as biological indicators of riparian forest widths in southern Brazil

Riparian forests provide important habitat for many wildlife species and are sensitive to landscape change. Among terrestrial invertebrates, dung beetles have been used to investigate the effects of environmental disturbances on forest structure and diversity. Since many studies demonstrated a negative response of dung beetle communities to increasing forest fragmentation, and that most dung beetle species had a more pronounced occurrence during warmest seasons, three hypotheses were tested: (1) Scarabaeinae richness, abundance, diversity and evenness are lower in thinner riparian zone widths than in wider widths during the warmest seasons; (2) Scarabaeinae richness and abundance are positively influenced by leaf litter coverage and height and canopy cover; and (3) Scarabaeinae composition varies with the reduction in riparian vegetation and among annual seasons. We selected four fragments with different riparian zone widths in three secondary streams in southern Brazil. In each fragment, four sampling periods were carried out seasonally between spring 2010 and winter 2011. We collected dung beetles using pitfall traps with two types of bait. We collected 1289 specimens distributed among 29 species. In spring and summer, dung beetle richness was higher in fragments with the widest riparian zone than in those with a thinner riparian zone, and it did not vary between fragments in fall and winter seasons. Dung beetle abundance did not differ among fragments with different riparian zone widths, but it was higher in spring and summer than fall and winter. Richness and abundance were positively influenced by leaf litter. While dung beetle diversity was higher in fragments with wider riparian zone widths than in those with thinner widths, the evenness was similar among fragments. Dung beetle composition differed between the fragments with the widest and thinnest riparian zones, and it also varied among the seasons. Our results suggest that decreased riparian zones affect negatively to dung beetle community structure in southern Brazil. Fragments with thinner riparian zones had lower beetle richness in warmest seasons and an altered community composition. In this sense, the dung beetles are potentially good indicators of riparian forest fragmentation since some species were indicators of a particular riparian zone width. From a conservation perspective, our results demonstrate that the new Brazilian Forest Code will greatly jeopardize not only the terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity of these ecosystems, but also countless other ecological functions.     

Intermediate disturbance promotes diversity and the conservation of dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae and Aphodiidae) in the Eastern Cape,South Africa

Environmental fluctuations, such as changes in climate, agricultural management and anthropogenic land-use patterns can affect the diversity of organisms inhabiting an area. Losses of biodiversity alter ecosystems processes, eroding their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Dung beetles are critical ecosystem service providers, making them an ideal ecological indicator to explore the effects of land-use change on biodiversity. Dung beetles were sampled across three land-use types, in the summers of 2015 and 2016 in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Game ranching is regarded as a relatively low-intensity land use type. It was compared with cattle ranching (medium intensity) and dairy farming (high intensity) to examine their effect on dung beetle assemblage metrics (abundance, species richness and true Shannon diversity index), guild diversity (as nesting guilds) and spatial turnover. The intermediate grazing intensity of cattle ranching supported a higher abundance and diversity of both whole dung beetle assemblage and the nesting guilds, followed by the game ranches and then dairy farms. Differences between the sampling years were dependent on the beetle nesting guild, and largely correlated with rainfall and temperature. Cattle and game ranches shared a higher number of species than either shared with dairy farms. Whittaker's Beta-diversity index showed the highest species turnover between game ranches and dairy farms. A mix of game and cattle ranching, minimising dairy farming or restricting it to already ecological degraded sites, appears the best alternative for maintenance of dung beetle diversity and their ecosystem services. The year-to-year trends of the data were in general consistent, confirming that dung beetles are reliable ecological indicators; but also suggest that climate change that affects rainfall will result in the reduction of the abundance and diversity of this key ecological group.     

Dung Beetle Assemblages and Seasonality in Primary Forest and Forest Fragments on Agricultural Landscapes in Budongo, Uganda

Very little is known about the diversity of arthropods in the fast-disappearing fragments of natural forests in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated: (1) the influence of forest fragment characteristics on dung beetle species richness, composition, abundance, and diversity; and (2) the relationship between dung beetle assemblages and rainfall pattern. Beetles were sampled through 12 mo using dung baited pitfall traps. A total of 18,073 dung beetles belonging to three subfamilies and 45 species were captured. The subfamily Scarabaeinae was the most abundant (99%) and species rich (89%). Fast-burying tunnellers (paracoprids) were the most dominant functional group. Catharsius sesostris, Copris nepos , and Heliocopris punctiventris were the three most abundant species, and had the highest contributions to dissimilarities between forests. With few exceptions, dung beetle abundance, species richness, and diversity were generally higher in larger forest fragments (100–150 ha) than in smaller ones (10–50 ha) and the nature reserve (1042 ha). Forest fragment size had a highly significant positive relationship with beetle abundance, but only when the nature reserve is excluded in the analysis. Dung beetle abundance and species richness showed direct weak relationships with litter depth (positive) and groundcover (negative) but not tree density, tree species richness, and fragment isolation distance. Dung beetle abundance and species richness were strongly correlated with monthly changes in rainfall. Results of this study indicate that forest fragments on agricultural lands in the Budongo landscape, especially medium-sized (100–150 ha) ones, represent important conservation areas for dung beetles.     

Habitat heterogeneity, richness and structure of assemblages of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in areas of cerrado in the Chapada dos Parecis, Mato Grosso state, Brazil

Ecological theory of habitat heterogeneity and limited niche-similarity assumes that more heterogeneous environments provide a greater amount and diversity of resources than simple environments, resulting in a greater diversity of species. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the habitat heterogeneity on the richness of dung beetles and to examine the spatial patterns of assemblage structure in relation to patterns of habitat heterogeneity. Dung beetles were collected using pitfall traps without bait in 30 points distributed in an area of cerrado sensu lato, in the region of Tangará da Serra, MT, Brazil, including areas of cerrado sensu stricto, campo sujo, cerrad?o and gallery forest. A total of 1,291 dung beetles were collected, distributed in 16 genera and 29 species. Overall habitat heterogeneity exerted a negative effect on patterns of dung beetles richness. Higher levels of species richness were observed in areas of cerrado campo sujo, while the areas of gallery forest were the most species poor. Regarding assembly structure, it was found that the dung beetles were separated into two major groups, one formed by the presence of specialized species in forest areas and other composed of species that occurred predominantly in cerrado. In conclusion, it was found that habitat complexity influenced the distribution of dung beetles, but the level of turnover in species composition along the heterogeneity gradient was relatively weak.     

Relationship between land uses and diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina: which are the key factors?

The loss of natural habitats is one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline. Anthropogenic land uses preserving biotic and abiotic conditions of the native ecosystem are more suitable to preserve the native biodiversity. In this study, we explored changes in species richness and composition in different land uses of the southern Atlantic forest, considering three independent factors: (1) canopy (presence–absence), (2) type of vegetation (native–exotic) and (3) livestock (presence–absence). We expected a gradient of response in the richness and composition of the native forest dung beetle community, from land uses preserving canopy and native vegetation to open land uses with exotic vegetation. Dung beetles were sampled in protected native forests and four land uses, using two potential food resources: human dung and carrion. The species richness and composition of each habitat, as well as differences in composition and the influence of factors over diversity, were then analyzed. As expected, our results showed that land uses preserving canopy and native vegetation maintain the dung beetle diversity of the native forest. Moreover, while the three factors analyzed influenced dung beetle diversity, canopy cover was the main driver of dung beetle diversity loss. The main conclusion of this study is that the conservation of canopy (either native or exotic) is determinant to preserve highly diverse dung beetle communities and subsequently, the ecological functions performed by this taxon. However, the ecophysiological mechanism behind the response of dung beetles to habitat disturbance is poorly understood.     

Dung Beetle and Terrestrial Mammal Diversity in Forests, Indigenous Agroforestry Systems and Plantain Monocultures in Talamanca, Costa Rica

In order to explore the importance of indigenous agroforestry systems for biodiversity conservation, we compared the abundance, species richness and diversity of dung beetles and terrestrial mammals across a gradient of different land use types from agricultural monocultures (plantains) to agroforestry systems (cocoa and banana) and forests in the BriBri and Cabécar indigenous reserves in Talamanca, Costa Rica. A total of 132,460 dung beetles of 52 species and 913 tracks of 27 terrestrial mammal species were registered. Dung beetle species richness and diversity were greatest in the forests, intermediate in the agroforestry systems and lowest in the plantain monocultures, while dung beetle abundance was greatest in the plantain monocultures. The number of mammal tracks per plot was significantly higher in forests than in plantain monocultures, whereas mammal species richness was higher in forests than in either cocoa agroforestry systems or plantain monocultures. Species composition of both terrestrial mammals and dung beetles also varied across the different land use types. Our study indicates that indigenous cocoa and banana agroforestry systems maintain an intermediate level of biodiversity (which is less than that of the original forest but significantly greater than that of plantain monocultures) and provide suitable habitat for a number of forest-dependent species. Although the agroforestry systems appear to serve as favorable habitats for many terrestrial mammal species, their potential positive contribution to mammal conservation is being offset by heavy hunting pressure in the reserves. As in other agricultural landscapes, the conservation of biodiversity in Talamanca will depend not only on maintaining the existing forest patches and reducing the conversion of traditional agroforestry systems to monocultures, but also on reducing hunting pressure.     

Elevational Gradient in Species Richness Pattern of Epigaeic Beetles and Underlying Mechanisms at East Slope of Balang Mountain in Southwestern China

We report on the species richness patterns of epigaeic beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Staphylinidae) along a subtropical elevational gradient of Balang Mountain, southwestern China. We tested the roles of environmental factors (e.g. temperature, area and litter cover) and direct biotic interactions (e.g. foods and antagonists) that shape elevational diversity gradients. Beetles were sampled at 19 sites using pitfall traps along the studied elevational gradient ranging from 1500 m–4000 m during the 2004 growing season. A total of 74416 specimens representing 260 species were recorded. Species richness of epigaeic beetles and two families showed unimodal patterns along the elevational gradient, peaking at mid-elevations (c. 2535 m), and the ranges of most beetle species were narrow along the gradient. The potential correlates of both species richness and environmental variables were examined using linear and second order polynomial regressions. The results showed that temperature, area and litter cover had strong explanatory power of beetle species richness for nearly all richness patterns, of beetles as a whole and of Carabidae and Staphylinidae, but the density of antagonists was associated with species richness of Carabidae only. Multiple regression analyses suggested that the three environmental factors combined contributed most to richness patterns for most taxa. The results suggest that environmental factors associated with temperature, area and habitat heterogeneity could account for most variation in richness pattern of epigaeic beetles. Additionally, the mid-elevation peaks and the small range size of most species indicate that conservation efforts should give attention to the entire gradient rather than just mid-elevations.     

Species diversity and community structure of rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) attracted to dung of sika deer in coniferous forests of southwest Japan

Insect communities of mammal dung have been known as excellent model ecosystems for scientific study. Ecological surveys of diversity and seasonal patterns of coprophilous rove beetles in relation to wild mammals have rarely been conducted, although the high potential species diversity and abundance of the rove beetles are known. In order to investigate biodiversity of these beetles, we analyzed species composition, abundance, feeding guild and seasonality of rove beetles that were attracted to sika deer Cervus nippon dung by using dung‐baited pitfall traps for a 1.5‐year study in two plantations (cypress, cedar) and one secondary natural forest (pine) in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwest Japan. Consequently, saprophagous Anotylus sp. (Oxytelinae) was dominant in all forests. Analyses of feeding guild structure showed the number of individuals were dominated by saprophagous beetles, but the number of species were dominated by predatory beetles. Seasonal effects suggested that the species richness and abundance of rove beetles are possibly regulated by scarabaeoid dung beetles. These findings feature one example of a coprophilous rove beetle community.     

Altitudinal variation of dung beetle (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) assemblages in the Colombian Andes

Aim We describe the changes in species richness, rarity and composition with altitude, and explore whether the differences in Scarabaeinae dung beetle composition along five altitudinal transects of the same mountain range are related to altitude or if there are interregional differences in these altitudinal gradients. Location Field work was carried out on the eastern slope of the eastern Cordillera, Colombian Andes, between Tamá Peak to the north, in the Tamá National Park (07°23′ N, 72°23′ W) and the San Miguel River (00°28′ N, 77°17′ W) to the south. Methods Sampling was carried out between February 1997 and November 1999 in five regions spanning elevation gradients. In each gradient, six sites were chosen at 250 m intervals between 1000 and 2250 m a.s.l. Results We found a curvilinear relationship between altitude and mean species richness, with a peak in richness at middle elevations. However, the diversity of dung beetle assemblages does not seem to be related to the interregional differences in environmental conditions. The number of geographically restricted species is negatively and significantly related to altitude, with geographically restricted species more frequent at low altitude sites. Ordination delimited the two main groups according to altitude: one with all the highest sites (1750–2250 m a.s.l.) and a second group with the remaining sites (< 1750 m a.s.l.). Analysis of species co‐occurrence shows that these dung beetle assemblages seem to be spatially structured when all sites have the same probability of being chosen. In contrast, the spatial structure of species assemblages seems to be random when the probability of choosing any site is proportional to its altitude. Main conclusions The altitude of sites is the main factor that influences the diversity of these dung beetle assemblages. The peak in species richness at middle elevations, the higher number of geographically restricted species at lower altitudinal levels, and the compositional differences along these mountain gradients seem to result from the mixing at these altitudes of dung beetle assemblages that have different environmental adaptations and, probably, different origins. The relevance of altitude in these assemblages is related to the limited role of these Neotropical high altitude environments as centres of refuge and vicariance for a monophyletic group of warm‐adapted species, for which the vertical colonization of these high mountain environments by lineages distributed at lower altitudes would have been very difficult.     

Effects of Degradation and Replacement of Southern Brazilian Coastal Sandy Vegetation on the Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In this paper we address the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and replacement of Brazilian Coastal sandy vegetation (restingas) on dung beetles communities. We sampled dung beetles in the four main vegetative physiognomies of Guriri Island, Espírito Santo State: forest restinga, restinga Clusia, disturbed restinga (from burning events), and pastures. We placed four sets of two pitfall traps (baited with horse and human dung) in four independent areas of each vegetation type, and collected 14,534 individuals of 13 dung beetle species. Neither log₁₀ of individuals nor log₁₀ of species richness were good predictors of restinga disturbance. However, a significant amount of variation in dung beetle abundance and richness could be explained by bait type. Ordination of these sites using hybrid multidimensional scaling revealed a gradient of habitat disturbance from undisturbed restinga samples to pasture. Dung beetle communities along this gradient demonstrated a complete turnover in species composition, from restinga‐specialists to invasive and generalists species respectively. This complete turnover signals the local extirpation of forest‐adapted species in disturbed and converted areas. Only a single dung beetle species in preserved restingas is protected by Brazilian law (Dichotomius schiffleri). Given the extent of the clearing of restinga habitat, the conservation status of dung beetles associated with restinga forest gives cause for concern.     

Co‐declining mammal–dung beetle faunas throughout the Atlantic Forest biome of South America

The millennial–scale evolutionary relationships between mammals and dung beetles have been eroded due to several drivers of contemporary biodiversity loss. Although some evidence of co‐decline has been shown for mammals and dung beetles at some Neotropical sites, a biome‐scale analysis for the entire Atlantic Forest of South America would strengthen our understanding of how relictual sets of mammal species can affect dung beetle co‐occurrences and co‐declines. We therefore collated hundreds of assemblages of both dung beetles and medium‐ to large‐bodied mammals throughout the world's longest tropical forest latitudinal gradient to examine to what extent mammal assemblages may exert a positive influence on dung beetle species composition and functional assembly, and whether this relationship is scale dependent. We also collated several climatic and other environmental variables to examine the degree to which they shape mammal–dung beetle relationships. The relationships between local mammal and dung beetle faunas were examined using regression models, variation partitioning, dissimilarity indices and ecological networks. We found a clear positive relationship between mammal and dung beetle species richness across this forest biome, indicating an ongoing process of mammal–dung beetle niche‐mediated co‐decline. We found a strong relationship between the species composition of both taxa, in which dung beetle species dissimilarity apparently track changes in mammalian dissimilarity, typically in 80% of all cases. Co‐variables such as phytomass and climatic variables also influenced mammal–dung beetle patterns of co‐decline along the Atlantic Forest. We conclude that dung beetle diversity and community assembly are shaped by the remaining co‐occurring mammal assemblages and their functional traits, and both groups were governed by environmental features. We emphasize that ecosystem‐wide effects of mammal population declines remain poorly understood both quantitatively and qualitatively, and curbing large vertebrate defaunation will ensure the persistence of co‐dependent species.     

Effects of dung-pad conditions and density on coprophagous beetle assemblages in a Mediterranean rangeland

Dung beetles highly depend on the ephemeral microhabitat dung which is food resource and larval habitat at the same time. Environmental conditions surrounding a dung pad, such as vegetation structure, have an impact on dung beetle assemblages. We investigated the influence of dung conditions and surrounding habitat characteristics on Mediterranean dung beetle assemblages in a permanently grazed landscape in northern Sardinia. We sampled the dung beetle assemblages of donkey and horse dung in three different vegetation types and assessed species richness and abundance of dung beetles. Species richness was determined by dung and surrounding habitat conditions, whereas abundance was solely affected by dung conditions. However, species richness and abundance decreased with increasing dung density. The effect of dung density on species richness varied depending on vegetation type, with dry grassland exhibiting the highest number of dung beetles species at high dung density. Species composition in dung pads was influenced by abiotic factors with dwellers being negatively affected by increasing dung-pad temperature. Our results underline the importance of diverse vegetation, particularly with respect to the complexity of vegetation which interrelates with the microclimate. Furthermore, our findings illustrate the negative effect of high dung densities on dung beetle assemblages, suggesting that the degree of the intensity of use by grazing animals is important when considering measures for the conservation of dung beetles.     

Does an aridity and trophic resource gradient drive patterns of dung beetle food selection across the Botswana Kalahari?

1. Aridity gradients are paralleled by both reductions in resources and decreased species richness of animals. Across the aridity gradient of the Botswana Kalahari, a reduction in mammal species richness leads to reduced density and diversity of dung types, accompanied by reduced dung beetle species richness. We investigated whether this gradient also drives changes in dung beetle food type association and specialisation owing to a loss of some dung types to the arid southwest. 2. Dung beetles were sampled from three study sites in each of the six study areas using 2 × 10 grids of pitfall traps baited with dung (pig, elephant, cattle, and sheep) or carrion (chicken livers). 3. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that distributions of dung beetle species between bait types deviated significantly from random associations. 4. Central Kalahari assemblages were more specialist than those at the mesic and arid extremes of the gradient. 5. Patterns of selection and specialisation to bait types differed between mesic northeast and arid southwest study areas. There were specialist faunas on carrion and more generalist faunas on ruminant herbivore dung (cattle and sheep) in each region. However, specialist species associated with elephant dung in the northeast were replaced by a more generalist fauna in the southwest with an opposite trend on pig dung. 6. Reduced species richness and high species turnover from the mesic northeast to the arid southwest is paralleled by a shift in patterns of food association that may reflect changes in the diversity of food types, particularly the absence of elephant dung from the southwest.     

Diversity and seasonal fluctuations in dung beetle (Coleoptera) community in Kurukshetra,India

Five pitfall traps baited with 150–200 g of fresh cattle dung were installed for 24 h at weekly intervals. A total of 991 dung beetles from 11 genera, 31 species and three subfamilies was obtained. The community was dominated by Oniticellus spinipes individuals by 32.3%. Ten species appeared only once during the collection period and species composition and dominance changed throughout the period. The overall pattern we detected in the organization of the dung beetle community is that the species richness, abundance and diversity rise in September and the 2^nd week of October. The dung beetle community was found to be affected by season.     

Patterns of alimentary resource use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures: Cattle versus sheep dung

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) perform essential ecological functions in pastures, such as dung removal, nutrient recycling and parasite control. However, the patterns of alimentary use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures are poorly known. Here, we compared dung beetle species richness, abundance and species composition in cattle and sheep dung, and identified the dung beetle species preference by each dung type. In January 2019, dung beetles were sampled with pitfall traps baited with cattle and sheep dung in 12 introduced pastures (Urochloa spp.), in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 592 individuals belonging to 14 species of dung beetles were collected. Of the 14 species sampled, nine were recorded in both dung types, five were found exclusively in sheep dung and no species was exclusive to cattle dung. Species richness and abundance were higher in sheep dung. Species composition was different between the dung types. Dichotomius bos (Blanchard), Genieridium bidens (Balthasar), Onthophagus aeneus Blanchard and Trichillum externepunctatum Preudhomme de Borre were associated with sheep dung. Our results provide evidence that sheep dung is more attractive to dung beetles with a distinct community species between the two dung types, although the studied pastures have never been used before for sheep breeding. Thus, our data shows that the introduction of a new alimentary resource (e.g. sheep dung) can be an important strategy to help to obtain a more diverse dung beetle assemblage in introduced Brazilian pastures.