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deCastro-Arrazola I, Andrew NR, Berg MP, Curtsdotter A, Lumaret JP, Menéndez R, Moretti M, Nervo B, Nichols ES, Sánchez-Piñero F, Santos AMC, Sheldon KS, Slade EM, Hortal J. A trait-based framework for dung beetle functional ecology. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:44-65. [PMID: 36443916 PMCID: PMC10099951 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Traits are key for understanding the environmental responses and ecological roles of organisms. Trait approaches to functional ecology are well established for plants, whereas consistent frameworks for animal groups are less developed. Here we suggest a framework for the study of the functional ecology of animals from a trait-based response-effect approach, using dung beetles as model system. Dung beetles are a key group of decomposers that are important for many ecosystem processes. The lack of a trait-based framework tailored to this group has limited the use of traits in dung beetle functional ecology. We review which dung beetle traits respond to the environment and affect ecosystem processes, covering the wide range of spatial, temporal and biological scales at which they are involved. Dung beetles show trait-based responses to variation in temperature, water, soil properties, trophic resources, light, vegetation structure, competition, predation and parasitism. Dung beetles' influence on ecosystem processes includes trait-mediated effects on nutrient cycling, bioturbation, plant growth, seed dispersal, other dung-based organisms and parasite transmission, as well as some cases of pollination and predation. We identify 66 dung beetle traits that are either response or effect traits, or both, pertaining to six main categories: morphology, feeding, reproduction, physiology, activity and movement. Several traits pertain to more than one category, in particular dung relocation behaviour during nesting or feeding. We also identify 136 trait-response and 77 trait-effect relationships in dung beetles. No response to environmental stressors nor effect over ecological processes were related with traits of a single category. This highlights the interrelationship between the traits shaping body-plans, the multi-functionality of traits, and their role linking responses to the environment and effects on the ecosystem. Despite current developments in dung beetle functional ecology, many knowledge gaps remain, and there are biases towards certain traits, functions, taxonomic groups and regions. Our framework provides the foundations for the thorough development of trait-based dung beetle ecology. It also serves as an example framework for other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indradatta deCastro-Arrazola
- Germans Cabot Franciscans 48, Bunyola, Spain.,Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Nigel R Andrew
- Insect Ecology Lab, Natural History Museum, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matty P Berg
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alva Curtsdotter
- Insect Ecology Lab, Natural History Museum, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Rosa Menéndez
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Nervo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | | | - Ana M C Santos
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kimberly S Sheldon
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joaquín Hortal
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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2
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Andresen E, Urrea-Galeano LA. Effects of dung beetle activity on tropical forest plants. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.979676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are recognized as providers of important ecosystem functions, most of which are derived from the removal of vertebrate dung from the soil surface. These insects occur in nearly all terrestrial biomes but are most diverse in the humid tropics. Several of the ecological functions attributed to dung beetles are related to their direct and indirect interactions with plants. Among these functions, the secondary dispersal of seeds defecated by mammals has received the most attention in tropical forests. Nonetheless, while several aspects of secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles are relatively well understood, others remain understudied or have not been addressed at all. Thus, a broad generalization about the effects of secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles on plant fitness remains somewhat elusive. Furthermore, other effects of dung beetle activity on tropical plants have received very little attention. A few studies have shown that through their behaviors of dung burial and soil-excavation, dung beetles can shape seed bank structure and dynamics. Also, though numerous greenhouse studies and field experiments in agricultural lands and temperate grasslands have shown that dung beetle activity increases plant nutrient uptake and yield, it is uncertain whether such effects are common in tropical forests. Here, we review and synthesize our current knowledge on how dung beetles affect tropical forest plants by dispersing defecated seeds, shaping the structure and dynamics of seed banks, and influencing the performance of understory seedlings. We focus on the Neotropics, where most studies on the effects of dung beetles on tropical forest plants have been carried out, but we also show results from other regions and biomes, to present a more general picture of these beetle-plant interactions. Throughout the review we emphasize aspects that need more research to allow generalizations and point out those questions that remain unanswered. We hope that this review will stimulate more research about the fascinating interactions between dung beetles and plants in tropical ecosystems.
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Fuzessy L, Sobral G, Culot L. Linking howler monkey ranging and defecation patterns to primary and secondary seed dispersal. Am J Primatol 2021; 84:e23354. [PMID: 34878682 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
To define the chances of a dispersed seed to produce a new recruit, it is essential to consider all stages of the dispersal process. Howler monkeys are recognized to have positive impacts on forest regeneration, acting as primary dispersers. Furthermore, dung beetles attracted to their feces protect the seeds against predators, and provide a better microenvironment for germination due to the removal of fecal matter, to seed burial, and/or by reducing the spatial aggregation of seeds in fecal clumps. Despite the recognized positive effects of primary seed dispersal through defecation by howler monkeys for plant recruitment, there are some important aspects of their behavior, such as the habit of defecating in latrines, that remain to be explored. Here, we investigated the fate of Campomanesia xanthocarpa seeds defecated by brown howlers, Alouatta guariba clamitans, and the secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles, considering how this process is affected by the monkey's defecation patterns. We found that brown howler monkeys dispersed seeds from several species away from fruit-feeding trees, partly because defecation under the canopy of such trees was not very frequent. Instead, most defecations were associated with latrines under overnight sleeping trees. Despite a very similar dung beetle community attracted to howler feces in latrines and fruit-feeding sites, seeds were more likely to be buried when deposited in latrines. In addition, C. xanthocarpa seeds showed higher germination and establishment success in latrines, but this positive effect was not due to the presence of fecal matter surrounding seeds. Our results highlight that A. guariba clamitans acts as a legitimate seed disperser of C. xanthocarpa seeds in a preserved context of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and that defecations in latrines increase the dispersal effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisieux Fuzessy
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisela Sobral
- Departamento de Reprodução Animal, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laurence Culot
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, Brazil
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Becerra-Vázquez ÁG, Coates R, Sánchez-Nieto S, Reyes-Chilpa R, Orozco-Segovia A. Effects of seed priming on germination and seedling growth of desiccation-sensitive seeds from Mexican tropical rainforest. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2020; 133:855-872. [PMID: 32797387 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-020-01220-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seed priming increases the vigor of seeds and seedlings through metabolic and biochemical processes occurring during controlled hydration, followed by dehydration. In the field, seeds are exposed to hydration-dehydration events in and on the soil after dispersal, as in seed priming. Nevertheless, seed priming has been sparsely tested on desiccation-sensitive seeds, which are vulnerable to climate change effects. We evaluated the effect of two priming methods on seeds from two tropical rainforest species: Cupania glabra and Cymbopetalum baillonii. For hydropriming, the seeds were fully hydrated and then dehydrated to three dehydration levels. For natural priming, the seeds were buried for 12 days in either closed forest or forest gap. Primed seeds were sown in 1% agar medium and placed in an environmental chamber. The growth of the seedlings from the highest germination priming treatments was evaluated for 1 year in the field. Our results showed that for C. glabra and C. baillonii, hydroprimed seeds varied in their germination response, depending on the degree of their dehydration. However, for C. baillonii, hydropriming seems to invigorate seeds, compared to non-imbibed seeds of the same dehydration level. Natural priming increased germination speed in both species without any difference between closed forest and forest gap. Moreover, seeds with natural priming had a higher final germination percentage than seeds with hydropriming. Seedlings from seeds with natural priming showed a higher growth rate than the controls in both species, whereas hydropriming produced a similar effect in C. glabra. Both priming methods could be used for restoration practices with the studied species, natural priming being a novel method. The ecological implications of priming in desiccation sensitive seeds are discussed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Gabriel Becerra-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n Anexo Al Jardín Botánico Exterior, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rosamond Coates
- Estación de Biología Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Km. 32 Carretera Catemaco-Montepío, San Andrés Tuxtla, 95701, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Sobeida Sánchez-Nieto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Reyes-Chilpa
- Departamento de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alma Orozco-Segovia
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n Anexo Al Jardín Botánico Exterior, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Crespo-Pérez V, Kazakou E, Roubik DW, Cárdenas RE. The importance of insects on land and in water: a tropical view. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 40:31-38. [PMID: 32563991 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tropical insects are astonishingly diverse and abundant yet receive only marginal scientific attention. In natural tropical settings, insects are involved in regulating and supporting ecosystem services including seed dispersal, pollination, organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, herbivory, food webs and water quality, which in turn help fulfill UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Current and future global changes that affect insect diversity and distribution could disrupt key ecosystem services and impose important threats on ecosystems and human well-being. A significant increase in our knowledge of tropical insect roles in ecosystem processes is thus vital to ensure sustainable development on a rapidly changing planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Crespo-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Museo de Zoología QCAZ I, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Apartado: 17-01-2184 Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Elena Kazakou
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, Institut Agro, IRD, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - David W Roubik
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Rafael E Cárdenas
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Museo de Zoología QCAZ I, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Apartado: 17-01-2184 Quito, Ecuador.
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Whitworth A, Whittaker L, Pillco Huarcaya R, Flatt E, Morales ML, Connor D, Priego MG, Forsyth A, Beirne C. Spider Monkeys Rule the Roost: Ateline Sleeping Sites Influence Rainforest Heterogeneity. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E1052. [PMID: 31805694 PMCID: PMC6941026 DOI: 10.3390/ani9121052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
: The sleeping site behavior of Ateline primates has been of interest since the 1980s, yet limited focus has been given to their influence upon other rainforest species. Here, we use a combination of arboreal and terrestrial camera traps, and dung beetle pitfall traps, to characterize spider monkey sleeping site use and quantify the impact of their associated latrines on terrestrial vertebrate and dung beetle activity. We also characterize the physical characteristics of the sleeping sites and the floristic and soil composition of latrines beneath them. Spider monkey activity at sleeping sites peaked at dawn and dusk and group composition varied by sex of the adults detected. The habitat-use of terrestrial fauna (vertebrates and dung beetles) differed between latrine sites and non-latrine controls, underpinned by species-specific changes in the relative abundance of several seed-dispersing species (such as paca and great curassow). Seedling density was higher in latrines than in non-latrine controls. Although most soil properties were similar between latrines and controls, potassium and manganese concentrations were different. These results suggest that spider monkey sleeping site fidelity leads to a hotspot of ecological activity in latrines and downstream impacts on rainforest floristic composition and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Whitworth
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Lawrence Whittaker
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Ruthmery Pillco Huarcaya
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Eleanor Flatt
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Marvin Lopez Morales
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Danielle Connor
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, School of Bio sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK; (D.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Marina Garrido Priego
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Adrian Forsyth
- Osa Conservation, Conservation Science Team, Washington, DC, 20005, USA; (L.W.); (R.P.H.); (E.F.); (M.L.M.); (M.G.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Chris Beirne
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, School of Bio sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK; (D.C.); (C.B.)
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Urrea-Galeano LA, Andresen E, Coates R, Mora Ardila F, Díaz Rojas A, Ramos-Fernández G. Horizontal seed dispersal by dung beetles reduced seed and seedling clumping, but did not increase short-term seedling establishment. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224366. [PMID: 31648268 PMCID: PMC6812793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are secondary seed dispersers, incidentally moving many of the seeds defecated by mammals vertically (seed burial) and/or horizontally as they process and relocate dung. Although several studies have quantified this ecological function of dung beetles, very few have followed seed fate until seedling establishment, and most of these have focused on the effects of seed burial. We know very little about the effects of horizontal seed movement by dung beetles, though it is generally assumed that it will affect plant recruitment positively through diminishing seed clumping. The objective of our study was to assess the effects of dung beetle activity on the spatial distribution of seeds and seedlings, and on the probability of seedling establishment. In a tropical rainforest in Mexico we carried out two complementary field experiments for each of two tree species (Bursera simaruba and Poulsenia armata), using seeds experimentally imbedded in pig dung and recording their fate and spatial location over time. For both species, dung beetle activity reduced the spatial clumping of seeds and seedlings; however, it did not increase the probability of seedling establishment. We discuss the context- and species-specificity of the combined effects of horizontal and vertical dispersal of seeds by dung beetles, and the need to quantify long-term seedling fates to more accurately determine the effects of seed movement by dung beetles on plant recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Adonay Urrea-Galeano
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- * E-mail: (EA); (LAUG)
| | - Ellen Andresen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
- * E-mail: (EA); (LAUG)
| | - Rosamond Coates
- Estación de Biología Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Francisco Mora Ardila
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | | | - Gabriel Ramos-Fernández
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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