scholarly journals Sustained parasiticide use in cattle farming affects dung beetle functional assemblages

2018 ◽  
Vol 265 ◽  
pp. 226-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryony Sands ◽  
Richard Wall
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Cattle Farming ◽  
Functional Assemblages

scholarly journals The role of dung beetles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cattle farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor M. Slade ◽  
Terhi Riutta ◽  
Tomas Roslin ◽  
Hanna L. Tuomisto
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
Cattle Farming ◽  
New Perspective

Abstract Agriculture is one of the largest anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs), with dairy and beef production accounting for nearly two-thirds of emissions. Several recent papers suggest that dung beetles may affect fluxes of GHGs from cattle farming. Here, we put these previous findings into context. Using Finland as an example, we assessed GHG emissions at three scales: the dung pat, pasture ecosystem and whole lifecycle of milk or beef production. At the first two levels, dung beetles reduced GHG emissions by up to 7% and 12% respectively, mainly through large reductions in methane (CH4) emissions. However, at the lifecycle level, dung beetles accounted for only a 0.05–0.13% reduction of overall GHG emissions. This mismatch derives from the fact that in intensive production systems, only a limited fraction of all cow pats end up on pastures, offering limited scope for dung beetle mitigation of GHG fluxes. In contrast, we suggest that the effects of dung beetles may be accentuated in tropical countries, where more manure is left on pastures and dung beetles remove and aerate dung faster and that this is thus a key area for future research. These considerations give a new perspective on previous results and suggest that studies of biotic effects on GHG emissions from dung pats on a global scale are a priority for current research.

scholarly journals Successional trajectory of dung beetle communities in a tropical grassy ecosystem after livestock grazing removal

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 2311-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
César M. A. Correa ◽  
Lívia D. Audino ◽  
Robert Holdbrook ◽  
Rodrigo F. Braga ◽  
Rosa Menéndez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Successional Trajectory

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.

Human perturbations reduce dung beetle diversity and dung removal ecosystem function

Biotropica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Ari Noriega ◽  
Martí March‐Salas ◽  
Stephanie Castillo ◽  
Héctor García‐Q ◽  
Joaquín Hortal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Human Perturbations

scholarly journals Characterization of smallholder cattle production systems in South-Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick Mugumaarhahama ◽  
Rodrigue Balthazar Basengere Ayagirwe ◽  
Valence Bwana Mutwedu ◽  
Nadège Cizungu Cirezi ◽  
Dieudonné Shukuru Wasso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Mixed Data ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Fallow Land ◽  
Cattle Production ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Cattle Farming ◽  
South Kivu

AbstractIn South-Kivu province, cattle farming is an integral component of farmers’ livelihoods and one of the few income-generating opportunities for smallholders. However, very few studies have been conducted to characterize smallholders’ cattle production systems. This study documents cattle production systems to better understand their current situation, constraints they face and opportunities they offer. For that purpose, an investigation was conducted based on a structured survey questionnaire and participatory interviews with 863 farmers in South-Kivu province. Collected data were analysed using factorial analysis of mixed data and clustering techniques. The results revealed three types of smallholder cattle farms differing mainly in their herds’ sizes and landholding. The first category is the most common and includes farmers raising small herds (6.3 ± 6.7 cattle) of local breeds in herding system (in this work, “herding system” refers to a rearing system for which the farmer drives and stays with his animals on pastures and fallow land during the day) and grazing fodder in community pastures, fallow lands and roadside grasses, while land constitutes a scarce resource. In the second category, some farmers have small tracts of land (< 5 ha) and others have large tracts (> 5 ha), but all have medium-size herds (45.1 ± 19.4 cattle) made up of local breeds, which they rear in herding system. They also exploit community pastures, fallow land and roadside fodder for animal feeding. The third and last category includes farmers with large cattle herds (78.1 ± 28.1 cattle) of local, crossbred and exotic breeds raised free range in the fenced paddocks on vast areas of land (> 5 ha) found in high-altitude regions. However, while being different according to the above-considered characteristics, the three categories of cattle farming remain extensive pastoral farms dominated by male farmers. Agriculture and/or animal husbandry are their main source of income while their livestock are also composed of goats and poultry, beside cattle. Still, the three farming groups require more inputs and improvement strategies for increased productivity in the challenging environment characterized by low land accessibility and high demand for milk and meat. Fodder cultivation and crop-livestock integration through agro-ecological systems as well as access to credit and extension services are the proposed strategies for the improvement of this economic sector.

scholarly journals Effects of Land-Use Change on the Community Structure of the Dung Beetle (Scarabaeinae) in an Altered Ecosystem in Southern Ecuador

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 306
Author(s):  
Vinicio Carrión-Paladines ◽  
Andreas Fries ◽  
Andrés Muñoz ◽  
Eddy Castillo ◽  
Roberto García-Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
P Value ◽  
Southern Ecuador ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

This study evaluated the effects of land-use change (L-UCH) on dung beetle community structure (Scarabaeinae) in a disturbed dry ecosystem in southern Ecuador. Five different L-UCH classes were analyzed by capturing the dung beetle species at each site using 120 pitfall traps in total. To determine dung beetle abundance and diversity at each L-UCH, a general linear model (GLM) and a redundancy analysis (RDA) were applied, which correlated environmental and edaphic conditions to the community structure. Furthermore, changes in dung-producing vertebrate fauna were examined, which varied significantly between the different L-UCH classes due to the specific anthropogenic use or level of ecosystem disturbance. The results indicated that soil organic matter, pH, potassium, and phosphorus (RDA: component 1), as well as temperature and altitude (RDA: component 2) significantly affect the abundance of beetles (GLM: p value < 0.001), besides the food availability (dung). The highest abundance and diversity (Simpson’s index > 0.4, Shannon-Wiener index > 1.10) was found in highly disturbed sites, where soils were generally more compacted, but with a greater food supply due to the introduced farm animals. At highly disturbed sites, the species Canthon balteatus, Dichotomius problematicus, and Onthphagus confuses were found specifically, which makes them useful as bio-indicators for disturbed dry forest ecosystems in southern Ecuador.

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