Trait responses of Peninsular Malaysian dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) to the loss of megafauna dung

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-41
Author(s):  
Thary Gazi Goh ◽  
Rosli Hashim
Keyword(s):  
Resource Availability ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Phenotypic Change ◽  
Phenotypic Changes ◽  
Proxy Measure ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Intraspecific Difference

AbstractThe extinction of megafauna may lead to the trophic collapse of ecosystems that depend on the dung that they produce. Some dung beetle species may undergo phenotypic changes in response to altered resource availability. The pronotal width of dung beetles is a trait that can be used as a proxy measure for the amount of dung provisioned during the larval stage. In this study conducted in Peninsular Malaysia, we compare the intraspecific difference in pronotal widths of dung beetles in forests with and without megafauna. Beetles were collected using burrowing interception traps baited with elephant dung. Six species with a minimum sample size of 55 beetles per species were used. Pronotum widths were compared using Bayesian estimation (BEST). There was no credible difference between intraspecific pronotal widths of four species, but credible differences between the mean parameters of two species, Liatongus femoratus and Oniticellus tessellatus. Both these species belong to genera that have a close association with megafauna, while the other are believed to be generalists. This may indicate that species that depend on megafauna dung as a breeding resource undergo a phenotypic change following the loss of their preferred dung type. Phenotypic changes appear to be a pathway which allows species to survive the initial trophic collapse of an ecosystem.

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

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 677-680 ◽  
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.

Population status of the bush fly, Musca vetustissima (Diptera: Muscidae), and native dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in south-eastern Australia in relation to establishment of exotic dung beetles

1996 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Tyndale-Biscoe ◽  
W.G. Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Dry Weight ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Replacement Level ◽  
Onthophagus Taurus ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Discomfort Threshold ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Total Dry Weight

AbstractWe compare the pest status and age structure of bush fly,Musca vetustissima Walker, populations, and the abundance of native dung beetles at Uriarra, ACT, for five fly seasons before (1976–81) and three seasons after (1990–93) the exotic dung beetles Euoniticellus fulvus (Goeze) and Onthophagus taurus (Schreber) became established in the area during the late 1980s. Fly populations in all post-introduction seasons of 1990–93 were much older than in the pre-introduction seasons, indicating reduced levels of local fly breeding and higher proportions of immigrants. During the pre-introduction period, the fly annoyance index exceeded the ‘minimum discomfort’ threshold of 10.0 in parts of all seasons. The mean index was 11.3, and this did not differ significantly between seasons. The total dry weight of dung beetles at the time of the first influx of bush flies each year was consistently below 3 g/dung pad which was apparently too low to depress bush fly breeding below their replacement level of 3%. The mean annoyance index of 3.1 for the 1990–91 season was significantly lower than for the pre-introduction period and the total dry weight of beetles during November-December exceeded 3 g/dung pad on all sampling occasions. In the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons fly annoyance indices reverted to pre-introduction levels (seasonal means of 13.7 and 7.8 respectively) and total dry weight of beetles was again below 3 g/dung pad when the bush flies first appeared. Survival of immature bush flies in local dung pads remained below the replacement level of 3% during 1990–91, but exceeded 3% on two occasions during 1991–92. Apart from 1976–77, when mean catches of native dung beetles (O. australis and O. granulatus) were exceptionally high, mean catches of native dung beetles during pre- and post-introduction years were very similar, but the mean dung beetle biomass increased following the establishment of exotic species.

scholarly journals Habitat Types Effect on Diversity, Distribution and Abundance of Dung Beetles

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-224
Author(s):  
Nadia Noureen ◽  
Mubashar Hussain ◽  
Muhammad Faheem Malik ◽  
Muhammad Umar ◽  
Zaheer Abbas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Cattle Dung ◽  
Mammalian Fauna ◽  
Natural Habitats

Dung beetles are ecologically important taxa to study the assessment of habitat modification and disturbance across the globe. This study was aimed to explore community composition, species richness and abundance of dung beetles in response to Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. Dung beetle assemblage were sampled from four habitat (natural rangeland, cropland, roadside and housing colonies) during 2014-2016 by placing pitfall traps baited with cattle dung. A total number of 540 specimens representing 17 species belonging to seven genera and four tribes were collected. We calculated species relative abundance in natural habitat (34.8%), cropland habitat (40.4%) and in road side areas (25.2%) was recorded, whereas no specimens were recorded in urban areas. Aphodius contaminatus (42.96%) was the most abundant species followed by Onitis castaneous (26.29%) and Onitis singhalensis (20.74%). Tunnellers (50.58%) and dwellers (49.01%) were dominant in all habitats, whereas rollers were least abundant (1.37%). The values of Shannon-Wiener (H) diversity and evenness (E) showed variations among different habitats i.e. natural habitat (H=1.20; E=0.55), cropland habitat (H=1.41, E=0.32) and roads-side (H=0.80, E=0.37). The study showed that cropland served as a major habitat for dung beetles due to its uniformity and close association with mammalian fauna. The results emphasized that natural habitats within the agro-ecosystem have become isolated and fragmented habitat with lesser stability and low resources thus resulting into less diverse habitat. Roadside areas are in close proximity with cropland and act as corridors for efficient species flow within ecosystem due to cattle movement through these areas.      

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.

scholarly journals Remote Sensing to Study Mangrove Fragmentation and Its Impacts on Leaf Area Index and Gross Primary Productivity in the South of Peninsular Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1427
Author(s):  
Kasturi Devi Kanniah ◽  
Chuen Siang Kang ◽  
Sahadev Sharma ◽  
A. Aldrie Amir
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Leaf Area Index ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Mangrove Area ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Shape Complexity ◽  
The Impact

Mangrove is classified as an important ecosystem along the shorelines of tropical and subtropical landmasses, which are being degraded at an alarming rate despite numerous international treaties having been agreed. Iskandar Malaysia (IM) is a fast-growing economic region in southern Peninsular Malaysia, where three Ramsar Sites are located. Since the beginning of the 21st century (2000–2019), a total loss of 2907.29 ha of mangrove area has been estimated based on medium-high resolution remote sensing data. This corresponds to an annual loss rate of 1.12%, which is higher than the world mangrove depletion rate. The causes of mangrove loss were identified as land conversion to urban, plantations, and aquaculture activities, where large mangrove areas were shattered into many smaller patches. Fragmentation analysis over the mangrove area shows a reduction in the mean patch size (from 105 ha to 27 ha) and an increase in the number of mangrove patches (130 to 402), edge, and shape complexity, where smaller and isolated mangrove patches were found to be related to the rapid development of IM region. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) products were used to inspect the impact of fragmentation on the mangrove ecosystem process. The mean LAI and GPP of mangrove areas that had not undergone any land cover changes over the years showed an increase from 3.03 to 3.55 (LAI) and 5.81 g C m−2 to 6.73 g C m−2 (GPP), highlighting the ability of the mangrove forest to assimilate CO2 when it is not disturbed. Similarly, GPP also increased over the gained areas (from 1.88 g C m−2 to 2.78 g C m−2). Meanwhile, areas that lost mangroves, but replaced them with oil palm, had decreased mean LAI from 2.99 to 2.62. In fragmented mangrove patches an increase in GPP was recorded, and this could be due to the smaller patches (<9 ha) and their edge effects where abundance of solar radiation along the edges of the patches may increase productivity. The impact on GPP due to fragmentation is found to rely on the type of land transformation and patch characteristics (size, edge, and shape complexity). The preservation of mangrove forests in a rapidly developing region such as IM is vital to ensure ecosystem, ecology, environment, and biodiversity conservation, in addition to providing economical revenue and supporting human activities.

scholarly journals Global urban signatures of phenotypic change in animal and plant populations

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (34) ◽  
pp. 8951-8956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Alberti ◽  
Cristian Correa ◽  
John M. Marzluff ◽  
Andrew P. Hendry ◽  
Eric P. Palkovacs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Phenotypic Change ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Phenotypic Changes ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Multiple Regions ◽  
Anthropogenic Systems

Humans challenge the phenotypic, genetic, and cultural makeup of species by affecting the fitness landscapes on which they evolve. Recent studies show that cities might play a major role in contemporary evolution by accelerating phenotypic changes in wildlife, including animals, plants, fungi, and other organisms. Many studies of ecoevolutionary change have focused on anthropogenic drivers, but none of these studies has specifically examined the role that urbanization plays in ecoevolution or explicitly examined its mechanisms. This paper presents evidence on the mechanisms linking urban development patterns to rapid evolutionary changes for species that play important functional roles in communities and ecosystems. Through a metaanalysis of experimental and observational studies reporting more than 1,600 phenotypic changes in species across multiple regions, we ask whether we can discriminate an urban signature of phenotypic change beyond the established natural baselines and other anthropogenic signals. We then assess the relative impact of five types of urban disturbances including habitat modifications, biotic interactions, habitat heterogeneity, novel disturbances, and social interactions. Our study shows a clear urban signal; rates of phenotypic change are greater in urbanizing systems compared with natural and nonurban anthropogenic systems. By explicitly linking urban development to traits that affect ecosystem function, we can map potential ecoevolutionary implications of emerging patterns of urban agglomerations and uncover insights for maintaining key ecosystem functions upon which the sustainability of human well-being depends.

scholarly journals A review and phylogeny of Scarabaeine dung beetle fossils (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), with the description of twoCanthochilumspecies from Dominican amber

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Tarasov ◽  
Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello ◽  
Frank-Thorsten Krell ◽  
Dimitar Dimitrov
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Late Oligocene ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Minimum Age ◽  
Phylogenetic Hypotheses

Despite the increasing rate of systematic research on scarabaeine dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), their fossil record has remained largely unrevised. In this paper, we review all 33 named scarabaeine fossils and describe two new species from Dominican amber (Canthochilum allenisp.n.,Canthochilum philipsivieorumsp.n.). We provide a catalogue of all fossil Scarabaeinae and evaluate their assignment to this subfamily, based primarily on the original descriptions but also, where possible, by examining the type specimens. We suggest that only 21 fossil taxa can be reliably assigned to the Scarabaeinae, while the remaining 14 should be treated as doubtful Scarabaeinae. The doubtful scarabaeines include the two oldest dung beetle fossils known from the Cretaceous and we suggest excluding them from any assessments of the minimum age of scarabaeine dung beetles. The earliest reliably described scarabaeine fossil appears to beLobateuchus parisii, known from Oise amber (France), which shifts the minimum age of the Scarabaeinae to the Eocene (53 Ma). We scored the best-preserved fossils, namelyLobateuchusand the twoCanthochilumspecies described herein, into the character matrix used in a recent morphology-based study of dung beetles, and then inferred their phylogenetic relationships with Bayesian and parsimony methods. All analyses yielded consistent phylogenies where the two fossilCanthochilumare placed in a clade with the extant species ofCanthochilum, andLobateuchusis recovered in a clade with the extant generaAteuchusandAphengium. Additionally, we evaluated the distribution of dung beetle fossils in the light of current global dung beetle phylogenetic hypotheses, geological time and biogeography. The presence of only extant genera in the late Oligocene and all later records suggests that the main present-day dung beetle lineages had already been established by the late Oligocene–mid Miocene.

Mites and internal parasites associated with the common dung beetle Geotrupes (Anoplotrupes) stercorosus (Hartmann in Scriba, 1791) in Poland

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Sulgostowska ◽  
Krzysztof Solarz ◽  
Grażyna Madej ◽  
Krzysztof Klimaszewski
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Parasites ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Internal Parasites ◽  
Eastern Border ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Rich ◽  
June July

AbstractCommon dung beetles collected in the "Sobieski Forest" (eastern border of Warsaw suburbs) were examined for the occurrence and prevalence of infections or infestations with intestinal parasites and phoretic mites in relation to soil characteristics and quality of the forest habitat. Endoparasitic fauna was represented by gregarines Didymophyes paradoxa, microsporidians Plistophora geotrupina and cysticerkoids of 2 tapeworms - Ditestolepis diaphana and Staphylocystis furcate. Prevalence of these infections was higher for beetles collected from rich habitats. Acarofauna was represented by hypopodes of Sancassania geotruporum (Astigmatina, Acaridae) and the following taxa of mesostigmatic mites: Alliphis halleri, Macrocheles glaber, Parasitus coleoptratorum and unidentified juvenile Laelapidae representative. Mites were most abundant in June, July and September. They were only slightly more numerously found on dung beetles from the rich habitats. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, MDS (2D stress = 0.13) revealed significant similarities in the distribution of mite taxa between poor and rich sites and among the investigated months (June, July and September).

The effects of dung beetle activity on the numbers of parasitic gastrointestinal helminth larvae recovered from pasture samples

1973 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 161 ◽  
Author(s):  
RP Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Parasitic Nematode ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Percentage Reduction ◽  
Faecal Material ◽  
Gastrointestinal Helminth ◽  
Nematode Eggs ◽  
Cattle Faeces ◽  
Onthophagus Gazella

Studies have been made of the effect of the dung beetle, Onthophagus gazella, on the release of strongyle larvae from cattle faeces onto pasture. A series of faecal pats containing parasitic nematode eggs was placed on pasture, and beetles were added to some pats to give three levels of beetle activity, viz. 100 g, 200-250 g, and 500 g of faeces per pair of beetles. These pats were duplicated on irrigated and non-irrigated pasture. In both cases the numbers of strongyle larvae migrating from pats attacked by dung beetles were significantly less than those migrating from control pats containing no dung beetles. Compared with larval recoveries from control pats, the percentage reduction in numbers of larvae migrating from pats on irrigated pasture was 50% for pats of 100 g faeces per pair of beetles, 48 % for pats of 200-250 g faeces per pair, and 84% for pats of 500 g of faeces per pair. The respective figures for pats on nonirrigated pasture were 76, 86, and 93 % reduction in larval numbers. The results indicated that strongyle larvae migrated from faecal material buried by dung beetles, provided soil moisture was adequate. More larvae were recovered from the pasture surrounding irrigated faecal pats attacked by beetles than from the non-irrigated pats. During warm dry weather, surface faecal debris remaining after beetlc attack appeared to be helminthologically sterile.

Contractility and phenotype transitions in serosal thickening of obstructed rabbit bladder

1995 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 1432-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Roelofs ◽  
A. J. Wein ◽  
F. C. Monson ◽  
G. Passerini-Glazel ◽  
V. E. Koteliansky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contractile Response ◽  
Outlet Obstruction ◽  
Phenotypic Change ◽  
Related Protein ◽  
Neurofilament Proteins ◽  
Contractile Responses ◽  
Phenotypic Changes ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Rabbit Bladder ◽  
Alpha Actin

Partial outlet obstruction of rabbit bladder induces serosal thickening and smooth muscle (SM) cell hypertrophy that are accompanied by phenotypic changes in the expression of cytoskeletal and cytocontractile proteins. In the present study, we compare the observed progressive phenotypic changes with the contractile responses of strips of the thickened serosa. At 15 days after partial outlet obstruction, although cells in thickened serosa demonstrate the presence of nonmuscle (NM) myosin of A-like type, vimentin, and SM alpha-actin, no contractile responses of this tissue were noted. At later times (30 days), this tissue expressed in addition SM myosin, and this pattern was paralleled by the development of KCl-stimulated contractility. It is only after 60 days that the serosa demonstrated the expression of desmin, phosphoglucomutase (PGM)-related protein, and was locally negative for NM myosin, indicating a maturation toward adult SM cells. Concomitant to this phenotypic change, the response to KCl increased, and a bethanechol-stimulated contractile response developed. At no time period did the serosal layer react with anti-synaptophysin or anti-neurofilament proteins nor did the strips respond to field stimulation (via release of neurotransmitters), showing that SM cell differentiation and development of contractile responses during serosal thickening are independent of innervation.

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