Local management actions override farming systems in determining dung beetle species richness, abundance and biomass and associated ecosystem services

This paper is an analysis of the distribution of areas of high species richness and endemicity based on dung beetles living in the different Holdridge life-zones of Costa Rica by using a geographic information system (GIS). Endemism was examined in relation to whether the species were shared with Nicaragua and/or Panama, or if they were strictly Costa Rican. The species composition of dung beetle distributions in the sampling areas and life-zones was evaluated. Species distribution was also analyzed in relation to altitudinal levels. The species richness and endemicity maps served as a base for doing a gap analysis and defining four different levels of high priority conservation areas. We also investigated what percentage of these priority areas is under some type of protection or conservation scheme and which of these areas should be enlarged. Also considered is the feasibility that these areas under protection have for enlargement, considering possible problems and interactions with present land-use. We include a list of all the recorded dung beetle species for Costa Rica, as well as their presence in the different Holdridge life-zones and their endemicity status. This study clearly demonstrates the need to include insects in biodiversity-endemicity studies because different and more detailed results are obtained in relation to vertebrate and plant-based studies.

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Changes in dung beetle communities along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance in South-East Asia

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467409990174 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 677-680 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Janice Ser Huay Lee ◽

Ian Qian Wei Lee ◽

Susan Lee-Hong Lim ◽

Johannes Huijbregts ◽

Navjot S. Sodhi

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Forest Disturbance ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Dung Beetles ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Biodiversity Changes

With increasing conversion of South-East Asian forests to human-dominated landscapes, dramatic changes in biodiversity are likely to have ramifications on ecosystem processes (Sodhi & Brook 2006). Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) have been used to investigate how biodiversity changes affect ecosystem functions (Larsen et al. 2005, Slade et al. 2007). Dung beetles provide important ecosystem services such as dung removal and secondary seed dispersal (Nichols et al. 2008) and have been shown to be reliable indicators of tropical forest disturbance (Gardner et al. 2008, Klein 1989). Here, we determine the effects of forest disturbance on the species richness of dung beetles and ecosystem functions they perform in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. As far as we know, there has been no known study published on dung beetle ecology on the Malay Peninsula. In this study, we test the hypothesis that old-growth forests contain dung beetle communities of higher species richness, abundance, biomass and larger body size. Previous studies have shown that changes in dung beetle communities have the potential to disrupt ecosystem services in natural habitats (Larsen et al. 2005, Mittal 1993). We also investigate whether dung removal is affected by forest disturbance and test the hypothesis that dung removal is reduced in more disturbed forests compared with less-disturbed forests.

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Newly released non-native dung beetle species provide enhanced ecosystem services in New Zealand pastures

Ecological Entomology ◽

10.1111/een.12513 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 431-439 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shaun A. Forgie ◽

Quentin Paynter ◽

Zeng Zhao ◽

Christine Flowers ◽

Simon V. Fowler

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Beetle Species

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Unveiling the drivers of local dung beetle species richness in the Neotropics

Journal of Biogeography ◽

10.1111/jbi.14043 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marcelo Bruno Pessôa ◽

Fernanda Alves‐Martins ◽

Paulo De Marco Júnior ◽

Joaquín Hortal

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Beetle Species

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Effect of dung beetle species richness and chemical perturbation on multiple ecosystem functions

Ecological Entomology ◽

10.1111/een.12421 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 577-586 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

PAUL MANNING ◽

ELEANOR M. SLADE ◽

SARAH A. BEYNON ◽

OWEN T. LEWIS

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Beetle Species ◽

Chemical Perturbation

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The relationship between dung beetle species richness and ecosystem functioning

Applied Soil Ecology ◽

10.1016/j.apsoil.2014.12.001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 88 ◽

pp. 21-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yu Yoshihara ◽

Shusuke Sato

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Ecosystem Functioning ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Beetle Species ◽

The Relationship

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Serviços ecossistêmicos prestados por recifes de coral nas ilhas de Tinharé e Boipeba, Baixo Sul da Bahia, Brasil

10.31237/osf.io/za7c9 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Carla Isobel Elliff

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Current Model ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Environmental Indicators ◽

Management Actions ◽

Shoreline Protection ◽

Fringing Reefs ◽

Integrated Valuation ◽

Reef Decline

Coral reefs provide important ecosystem services to coastal communities. The Archipelago of Tinhar?e andBoipeba, Bahia, Brazil, are mostly surrounded by fringing reefs, which have undergone several chronichuman impacts. The objective of the present study was to apply an ecosystem-based approach byanalyzing the ecosystem services provided by the coral reefs of the Archipelago of Tinhar?e and Boipeba inorder to support management actions and serve as a tool for coastal management. Ecosystem serviceswere assessed through the observation of environmental indicators of their occurrence and by using asuite of models from the Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) softwarecombined with data from the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) protocol database. Theservices of greatest occurrence were food provision, habitat maintenance, shoreline protection andrecreation. While the main stressful factors were tourism activities, the absence of a sewage system andfisheries. The coral reefs presented potential for shoreline protection along 50.5% of the islands. Moreover,46.8% of the shoreline would present moderate to high vulnerability in case of coral reef disappearance.The coincidence of areas with high risk of loss in the capacity to provide services and highvulnerability in the scenario of absence of reefs is concerning. Thus, the current model for tourism usedin the area should be altered, as should new management strategies be implemented, which can bringbenefits and avoid reef decline.

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The Role of Selected Ecosystem Services in Different Farming Systems in Poland Regarding the Differentiation of Agricultural Land Structure

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13126673 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6673

Author(s):

Lidia Luty ◽

Kamila Musiał ◽

Monika Zioło

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Soil Formation ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Organic System ◽

Supporting Soil ◽

Management Method ◽

The Impact

The functioning of various agroecosystems is nowadays shaped by different farming systems, which may impair their functions, as well as being beneficial to them. The benefits include ecosystem services, defined as economic and noneconomic values gained by humans from ecosystems, through supporting soil formation and nutrient circulation, and the impact of agriculture on climate and biodiversity. Their mutual flow and various disturbances depend on the agroecosystem’s management method, which is associated with the type of management of agricultural land (AL) in individual farms. This paper raises a problem of transformation in the structure of three main farming systems in Poland, in 2004–2018, in relation to the implementation of 16 selected ecosystem services and their scale. Special attention was given to organic farming, as the most environmentally friendly and sustainable. The analysis demonstrates the increase in ALs in that type of production during the analyzed period of time. Disparities of transformation associated with the type of agricultural system were noticeable at the regional level, which were presented in 16 Polish voivodeships. The results of the analysis confirm that the organic system, which is an important carrier of various ecosystem services, gained a stable position. Moreover, areas with integrated farming still do not exceed 0.5% of total agricultural lands in such voivodeships. The analysis of factors influencing the deterioration or disappearance of selected environmental services characterizing agricultural systems indicates the need to depart from an intensive conventional management system.

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An Overview of Ecosystem Service Studies in a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot, Sri Lanka: Key Perspectives for Future Research

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12050540 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 540

Author(s):

Chaya Sarathchandra ◽

Yirga Alemu Abebe ◽

Iresha Lakmali Wijerathne ◽

Sasith Tharanga Aluthwattha ◽

Sriyani Wickramasinghe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Future Research ◽

Species Introduction ◽

Related Research ◽

Management Actions ◽

Service Category ◽

Tropical Biodiversity ◽

Published Evidence

Tropical island countries are often highly populated and deliver immense ecosystem service benefits. As human wellbeing depends on these ecosystems, proper management is crucial in the resource-rich tropical lands where there is less related research. Though ecosystem service and biodiversity studies are a promising path to inform the ecosystem management for these mostly developing countries, published evidence of using ecosystem service studies in decision making is lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of ecosystem services and related research in Sri Lanka, examining trends and gaps in how these studies are conceptualized. Out of the considered 220 peer-reviewed articles, the majority of articles (48.2%) were terrestrial and forest related while coastal ecosystems were considered in 33.2% of studies. In most studies, the ecosystem service category studied was provisioning (31.5%) followed by regulatory service (28.7%). Studies investigating and quantifying ecosystem services, pressures on ecosystems, and their management were fewer compared to studies related to biodiversity or species introduction. Moreover, studies investigating the value of ecosystem services and biodiversity to the communities or involvement of stakeholders in the development of management actions regarding the ecosystem services were rare in Sri Lanka, and an intense focus from future studies in these aspects is timely and necessary.

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