How predictable are the responses of ant and dung beetle assemblages to patch and landscape attributes in fragmented tropical forest landscapes?

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-322
Author(s):  
Maya Rocha-Ortega ◽  
Helí Coronel-Arellano
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Beetle Assemblages ◽  
Landscape Attributes

scholarly journals Mechanisms of diversity maintenance in dung beetle assemblages in a heterogeneous tropical landscape

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9860
Author(s):  
Jose D. Rivera ◽  
Benigno Gómez ◽  
Darío A. Navarrete-Gutiérrez ◽  
Lorena Ruíz-Montoya ◽  
Leonardo Delgado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Diversity Patterns ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

Background Anthropized landscapes play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, as they encompass about 90% of the remaining tropical forest. Effective conservation strategies require a deep understanding of how anthropic disturbances determine diversity patterns across these landscapes. Here, we evaluated how attributes and assembly mechanisms of dung beetle communities vary across the Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve (REBISO) landscape. Methods Community attributes (species diversity, abundance, and biomass) were assessed at the landscape scale, using spatial windows and vegetation classes. Windows were categorized as intact, variegated, or fragmented based on their percent cover of tropical forest. The vegetation classes analyzed were tropical forest, second-growth forest, and pastures. Results We collected 15,457 individuals and 55 species. Variegated windows, tropical forests, and second-growth forests showed the highest diversity values, while the lowest values were found in intact windows and pastures. Landscape fragmentation was positively and strongly related to dung beetle diversity and negatively related to their abundance; biomass was positively associated with forest cover. Beta diversity was the primary driver of the high dung beetle diversity in the landscape analyzed. Discussion The landscape heterogeneity and its biodiversity-friendly matrix facilitate the complementarity of dung beetle assemblages in the Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve. Random processes govern beta diversity patterns in intact and variegated windows. Therefore, vegetation cover in the region is sufficient to maintain a continuous flow of dung beetles between forested landscape segments. However, intense anthropic disturbances acted as deterministic environmental filters in fragmented windows and pastures sites, leading to biotic homogenization processes. Our results suggest that increasing habitat variegation in highly fragmented sites is an effective strategy to prevent or buffer homogenization processes in the REBISO landscape.

Variations in dung beetle assemblages across a gradient of hunting in a tropical forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Feer ◽  
Olivier Boissier
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

scholarly journals Wood Pastures: A Transitional Habitat between Forests and Pastures for Dung Beetle Assemblages

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
László Somay ◽  
Viktor Szigeti ◽  
Gergely Boros ◽  
Réka Ádám ◽  
András Báldi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Group ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

Wood pastures are home to a variety of species, including the dung beetle. Dung beetles are an important functional group in decomposition. Specifically, in terms of livestock manure, they not only contribute to nutrient cycling but are key players in supporting human and animal health. Dung beetles, however, are declining in population, and urgent recommendations are needed to reverse this trend. Recommendations need to be based on solid evidence and specific habitats. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of an intermediate habitat type between forests and pastures. Wood pastures are key areas for dung beetle conservation. For this reason, we compared dung beetle assemblages among forests, wood pastures, and grasslands. We complemented this with studies on the effects of dung type and season at three Hungarian locations. Pitfall traps baited with cattle, sheep, or horse dung were used in forests, wood pastures, and pasture habitats in spring, summer, and autumn. Dung beetle assemblages of wood pastures showed transient characteristics between forests and pastures regarding their abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, assemblage composition, and indicator species. We identified a strong effect of season and a weak of dung type. Assemblage composition proved to be the most sensitive measure of differences among habitats. The conservation of dung beetles, and the decomposition services they provide, need continuous livestock grazing to provide fresh dung, as well as the maintenance of wood pastures where dung beetle assemblages typical of forests and pastures can both survive.

Conversion of Cerrado savannas into exotic pastures: The relative importance of vegetation and food resources for dung beetle assemblages

2020 ◽  
Vol 288 ◽  
pp. 106709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renan Macedo ◽  
Livia Dorneles Audino ◽  
Vanesca Korasaki ◽  
Julio Louzada
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Food Resources ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

scholarly journals The role of habitat and daily activity patterns in explaining the diversity of mountain Neotropical dung beetle assemblages

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-312
Author(s):  
Pedro G. da Silva ◽  
Jorge M. Lobo ◽  
Malva Isabel Medina Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Daily Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Beetle Assemblages ◽  
Daily Activity Patterns

Matrix habitat restoration alters dung beetle species responses across tropical forest edges

2014 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 28-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Barnes ◽  
Rowan M. Emberson ◽  
Hazel M. Chapman ◽  
Frank-T. Krell ◽  
Raphael K. Didham
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Beetle Species ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Matrix Habitat ◽  
Species Responses

Saproxylic beetle assemblages on native and exotic snags in a West African tropical forest

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lachat ◽  
R. Peveling ◽  
S. Attignon ◽  
G. Goergen ◽  
B. Sinsin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
West African ◽  
Beetle Assemblages ◽  
Saproxylic Beetle
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