1
|
Saranholi BH, França FM, Vogler AP, Barlow J, Vaz de Mello FZ, Maldaner ME, Carvalho E, Gestich CC, Howes B, Banks-Leite C, Galetti PM. Testing and optimizing metabarcoding of iDNA from dung beetles to sample mammals in the hyperdiverse Neotropics. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13961. [PMID: 38646932 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few years, insects have been used as samplers of vertebrate diversity by assessing the ingested-derived DNA (iDNA), and dung beetles have been shown to be a good mammal sampler given their broad feeding preference, wide distribution and easy sampling. Here, we tested and optimized the use of iDNA from dung beetles to assess the mammal community by evaluating if some biological and methodological aspects affect the use of dung beetles as mammal species samplers. We collected 403 dung beetles from 60 pitfall traps. iDNA from each dung beetle was sequenced by metabarcoding using two mini-barcodes (12SrRNA and 16SrRNA). We assessed whether dung beetles with different traits related to feeding, nesting and body size differed in the number of mammal species found in their iDNA. We also tested differences among four killing solutions in preserving the iDNA and compared the effectiveness of each mini barcode to recover mammals. We identified a total of 50 mammal OTUs (operational taxonomic unit), including terrestrial and arboreal species from 10 different orders. We found that at least one mammal-matching sequence was obtained from 70% of the dung beetle specimens. The number of mammal OTUs obtained did not vary with dung beetle traits as well as between the killing solutions. The 16SrRNA mini-barcode recovered a higher number of mammal OTUs than 12SrRNA, although both sets were partly non-overlapping. Thus, the complete mammal diversity may not be achieved by using only one of them. This study refines the methodology for routine assessment of tropical mammal communities via dung beetle 'samplers' and its universal applicability independently of the species traits of local beetle communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno H Saranholi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Filipe M França
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Graduate Program in Ecology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Alfried P Vogler
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Fernando Z Vaz de Mello
- Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Instituto de Biociências, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Maria E Maldaner
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade (PPGECB), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, Brazil
| | - Edrielly Carvalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, INPA, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Carla C Gestich
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Benjamin Howes
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | | | - Pedro M Galetti
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pedersen KM, von Beeren C, Oggioni A, Blüthgen N. Mammal dung-dung beetle trophic networks: an improved method based on gut-content DNA. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16627. [PMID: 38500531 PMCID: PMC10946388 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Dung beetles provide many important ecosystem services, including dung decomposition, pathogen control, soil aeration, and secondary seed dispersal. Yet, the biology of most dung beetles remains unknown. Natural diets are poorly studied, partly because previous research has focused on choice or attraction experiments using few, easily accessible dung types from zoo animals, farm animals, or humans. This way, many links within natural food webs have certainly been missed. In this work, we aimed to establish a protocol to analyze the natural diets of dung beetles using DNA gut barcoding. Methods First, the feasibility of gut-content DNA extraction and amplification of 12s rDNA from six different mammal dung types was tested in the laboratory. We then applied the method to beetles caught in pitfall traps in Ecuador and Germany by using 12s rDNA primers. For a subset of the dung beetles caught in the Ecuador sampling, we also used 16s rDNA primers to see if these would improve the number of species we could identify. We predicted the likelihood of amplifying DNA using gut fullness, DNA concentration, PCR primer, collection method, and beetle species as predictor variables in a dominance analysis. Based on the gut barcodes, we generated a dung beetle-mammal network for both field sites (Ecuador and Germany) and analyzed the levels of network specificity. Results We successfully amplified mammal DNA from dung beetle gut contents for 128 specimens, which included such prominent species as Panthera onca (jaguar) and Puma concolor (puma). The overall success rate of DNA amplification was 53%. The best predictors for amplification success were gut fullness and DNA concentration, suggesting the success rate can be increased by focusing on beetles with a full gut. The mammal dung-dung beetle networks differed from purely random network models and showed a moderate degree of network specialization (H2': Ecuador = 0.49; Germany = 0.41). Conclusion We here present a reliable method of extracting and amplifying gut-content DNA from dung beetles. Identifying mammal dung via DNA reference libraries, we created mammal dung-dung beetle trophic networks. This has benefits over previous methods because we inventoried the natural mammal dung resources of dung beetles instead of using artificial mammal baits. Our results revealed higher levels of specialization than expected and more rodent DNA than expected in Germany, suggesting that the presented method provides more detailed insights into mammal dung-dung beetle networks. In addition, the method could have applications for mammal monitoring in many ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen M. Pedersen
- Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany
| | | | - Arianna Oggioni
- Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nervo B, Laini A, Roggero A, Palestrini C, Rolando A. Spatio-temporal modelling suggests that some dung beetle species (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) may respond to global warming by boosting dung removal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168127. [PMID: 37907105 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
In the current framework of changes to the global climate, information on the thermal tolerance of dung beetles is crucial to understand how they might cope with increases in land temperature in terms of survival and ecosystem service provision. In this spatio-temporal modelling study, we investigated the thermal tolerance and effect of temperature changes on dung removal by three dung beetle species (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) living within the 600-1400 m altitudinal belt in the Italian Alps. We chose large tunneler beetles because of their pivotal role in dung removal and nutrient recycling, important ecosystem services for maintaining the viability and profitability of the Alpine pastoral system. Our study used experimental data on dung removal at different temperatures to predict changes to this ecosystem service in the future considering different climatic scenarios and changes in land use for the specific study area. The results show that the temperature increases incurred between 1981 and 2005 may have boosted rates of spring dung removal across the entire study area (expressed as average dung removal per pair per month), partially compensating for the reduction in grassland extent within pasture-based livestock farming systems. Despite the limitations related to modelling future climate change scenarios and uncertainties deriving from several interacting factors (e.g., the sensitivity of large-bodied species to land-use changes), our results suggest that the predicted increases in temperature over the next 80 years would continue to boost dung removal, revealing a resilience of this service. The increase in dung removal rates, for all three species, is mainly related to the most extreme scenario of carbon emissions and for the months spanning from May to October of the interval 2041-2100. Focusing on large tunnelers and adopting a dynamic approach that considers changes in dung removal over space and time can assist ecosystem service conservation planning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Nervo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Alex Laini
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy.
| | - Angela Roggero
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Claudia Palestrini
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
| | - Antonio Rolando
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Slade EM, Ong XR. The future of tropical insect diversity: strategies to fill data and knowledge gaps. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 58:101063. [PMID: 37247774 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The decline of insect diversity is a much-discussed, yet understudied phenomenon, particularly in the tropics, where the majority of insect abundance, diversity and biomass is found. Integrated approaches involving traditional taxonomic methods, new molecular approaches, and novel monitoring and identification tools and applications are needed to address related and challenging questions regarding how many species of tropical insects exist, their distributions and natural history, the relative impacts of global change drivers on insect diversity across complex tropical landscapes, and the effects of insect declines on ecosystem functions and services. The main barriers to addressing these challenges are a lack of capacity and funding for research on insects in tropical countries and a lack of recognition of their importance for ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing. Insects must be brought into policy agendas, local capacity and funding through cross-boundary collaborations and equitable scientific practices increased, and their importance emphasized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor M Slade
- Tropical Ecology & Entomology Lab, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Xin Rui Ong
- Tropical Ecology & Entomology Lab, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kriegel P, Vogel S, Angeleri R, Baldrian P, Borken W, Bouget C, Brin A, Bussler H, Cocciufa C, Feldmann B, Gossner MM, Haeler E, Hagge J, Hardersen S, Hartmann H, Hjältén J, Kotowska MM, Lachat T, Larrieu L, Leverkus AB, Macagno ALM, Mitesser O, Müller J, Obermaier E, Parisi F, Pelz S, Schuldt B, Seibold S, Stengel E, Sverdrup-Thygeson A, Weisser W, Thorn S. Ambient and substrate energy influence decomposer diversity differentially across trophic levels. Ecol Lett 2023. [PMID: 37156097 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The species-energy hypothesis predicts increasing biodiversity with increasing energy in ecosystems. Proxies for energy availability are often grouped into ambient energy (i.e., solar radiation) and substrate energy (i.e., non-structural carbohydrates or nutritional content). The relative importance of substrate energy is thought to decrease with increasing trophic level from primary consumers to predators, with reciprocal effects of ambient energy. Yet, empirical tests are lacking. We compiled data on 332,557 deadwood-inhabiting beetles of 901 species reared from wood of 49 tree species across Europe. Using host-phylogeny-controlled models, we show that the relative importance of substrate energy versus ambient energy decreases with increasing trophic levels: the diversity of zoophagous and mycetophagous beetles was determined by ambient energy, while non-structural carbohydrate content in woody tissues determined that of xylophagous beetles. Our study thus overall supports the species-energy hypothesis and specifies that the relative importance of ambient temperature increases with increasing trophic level with opposite effects for substrate energy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kriegel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Sebastian Vogel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Bavarian Environment Agency, Biodiversitätszentrum Rhön, Bischofsheim in der Rhön, Germany
| | - Romain Angeleri
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution IEE - Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Werner Borken
- Department for Soil Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christophe Bouget
- French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment INRAE, 'Forest Ecosystems' Research Unit, Nogent-sur-Vernisson, France
| | - Antoine Brin
- University of Toulouse, Engineering School of Purpan, UMR 1201 INRAE-INPT DYNAFOR, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Cristiana Cocciufa
- Arma dei Carabinieri CUFA, Projects, Conventions, Environmental Education Office, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Martin M Gossner
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Haeler
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Forest Growth, Silviculture and Genetics, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests Natural Hazards and Landscape BFW, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonas Hagge
- Forest Nature Conservation, Northwest German Forest Research Institute, Hann. Münden, Germany
- Department for Forest Nature Conservation, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sönke Hardersen
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità di Verona, Centro Nazionale Carabinieri Biodiversità "Bosco Fontana", Marmirolo, Italy
| | - Henrik Hartmann
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Forest Protection, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Joakim Hjältén
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martyna M Kotowska
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thibault Lachat
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Larrieu
- University of Toulouse, INRAE, UMR 1201 DYNAFOR, Castanet-Tolosan, France
- CNPF-CRPF Occitanie, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | | | - Anna L M Macagno
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Indiana, Bloomington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Biostatistics Consulting Center, Indiana University, Indiana, Bloomington, USA
| | - Oliver Mitesser
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Obermaier
- Ecological-Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Francesco Parisi
- Department of Bioscience and Territory, Università degli Studi del Molise, Pesche, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefan Pelz
- Institute for Applied Science, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Rottenburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Chair of Forest Botany, Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Tharandt, Germany
- Chair of Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Seibold
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Berchtesgaden, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, Forest Zoology, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Elisa Stengel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences NMBU, Ås, Norway
| | - Wolfgang Weisser
- Department for Life Science Systems, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Simon Thorn
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Hessian Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, Biodiversity Center, Gießen, Germany
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
deCastro‐Arrazola I, Andrew NR, Berg MP, Curtsdotter A, Lumaret J, 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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indradatta deCastro‐Arrazola
- Germans Cabot Franciscans 48BunyolaSpain
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad de GranadaGranadaSpain
| | - Nigel R. Andrew
- Insect Ecology Lab, Natural History MuseumUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Matty P. Berg
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Alva Curtsdotter
- Insect Ecology Lab, Natural History MuseumUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Rosa Menéndez
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation BiologySwiss Federal Research Institute WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Beatrice Nervo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TorinoTorinoItaly
| | | | | | - Ana M. C. Santos
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG‐UAM), Departamento de EcologíaUniversidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC‐UAM)Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
| | - Kimberly S. Sheldon
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUnited States
| | - Eleanor M. Slade
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Joaquín Hortal
- Department of Biogeography and Global ChangeMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN‐CSIC)MadridSpain
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal de GoiásGoiâniaBrazil
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de LisboaLisbonPortugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Butterworth NJ, Benbow ME, Barton PS. The ephemeral resource patch concept. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:697-726. [PMID: 36517934 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ephemeral resource patches (ERPs) - short lived resources including dung, carrion, temporary pools, rotting vegetation, decaying wood, and fungi - are found throughout every ecosystem. Their short-lived dynamics greatly enhance ecosystem heterogeneity and have shaped the evolutionary trajectories of a wide range of organisms - from bacteria to insects and amphibians. Despite this, there has been no attempt to distinguish ERPs clearly from other resource types, to identify their shared spatiotemporal characteristics, or to articulate their broad ecological and evolutionary influences on biotic communities. Here, we define ERPs as any distinct consumable resources which (i) are homogeneous (genetically, chemically, or structurally) relative to the surrounding matrix, (ii) host a discrete multitrophic community consisting of species that cannot replicate solely in any of the surrounding matrix, and (iii) cannot maintain a balance between depletion and renewal, which in turn, prevents multiple generations of consumers/users or reaching a community equilibrium. We outline the wide range of ERPs that fit these criteria, propose 12 spatiotemporal characteristics along which ERPs can vary, and synthesise a large body of literature that relates ERP dynamics to ecological and evolutionary theory. We draw this knowledge together and present a new unifying conceptual framework that incorporates how ERPs have shaped the adaptive trajectories of organisms, the structure of ecosystems, and how they can be integrated into biodiversity management and conservation. Future research should focus on how inter- and intra-resource variation occurs in nature - with a particular focus on resource × environment × genotype interactions. This will likely reveal novel adaptive strategies, aid the development of new eco-evolutionary theory, and greatly improve our understanding of the form and function of organisms and ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J. Butterworth
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University Wellington Road Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney 15 Broadway Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
| | - M. Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology, Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program Michigan State University 220 Trowbridge Rd East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Philip S. Barton
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University University Drive, Mount Helen VIC 3350 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Simões-Clivatti TRO, Hernández MIM. Ecological indication metrics on dung beetles metacommunities in native forests and Pinus monocultures. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.972176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae are commonly used as ecological indicators in studies about the effects of environmental changes. We analyzed the influence of the type of habitat, vegetation, mammals (as food resource), and temperature on dung beetle metacommunities in subtropical native forests and Pinus monocultures to evaluate the factors driving these assemblages. In the summer of 2018/2019, we sampled 12 areas in Southern Brazil, six Pinus monocultures and six native forests. We performed a dispersal test, applying a marking-recapture method. Some recaptures occurred in different habitats, showing low dispersal between habitats. We recorded behavioral activities confirming the use of both native forest and Pinus areas. The metrics did not reflect the difference in the environmental quality of the areas regarding species richness and diversity in different habitats. This shows that these metrics are not the best when using dung beetle assemblages as ecological indicators of biodiversity loss resulting from land-use changes, requiring complementing the analysis with composition analysis methods. When we partitioned beta diversity between habitats, we observed a dissimilarity between Pinus monocultures and native forest assemblages due to species substitution, with many species contributing to the dissimilarity between habitats. In our structural equation models, the influence of environmental factors on metacommunities showed no predictor related to dung beetle richness, but several variables influenced their abundance.
Collapse
|
9
|
Gigliotti MS, Togni PHB, Frizzas MR. Attractiveness of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) to faeces from native mammals in different trophic guilds. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Soares Gigliotti
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Brum Togni
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
| | - Marina Regina Frizzas
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília (UnB) Brasília Federal District Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Composition and structure of winter aphid–parasitoid food webs along a latitudinal gradient in Chile. Oecologia 2022; 200:425-440. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05270-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
|
11
|
Englmeier J, von Hoermann C, Rieker D, Benbow ME, Benjamin C, Fricke U, Ganuza C, Haensel M, Lackner T, Mitesser O, Redlich S, Riebl R, Rojas‐Botero S, Rummler T, Salamon J, Sommer D, Steffan‐Dewenter I, Tobisch C, Uhler J, Uphus L, Zhang J, Müller J. Dung-visiting beetle diversity is mainly affected by land use, while community specialization is driven by climate. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9386. [PMID: 36248674 PMCID: PMC9547384 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are important actors in the self-regulation of ecosystems by driving nutrient cycling, bioturbation, and pest suppression. Urbanization and the sprawl of agricultural areas, however, destroy natural habitats and may threaten dung beetle diversity. In addition, climate change may cause shifts in geographical distribution and community composition. We used a space-for-time approach to test the effects of land use and climate on α-diversity, local community specialization (H 2') on dung resources, and γ-diversity of dung-visiting beetles. For this, we used pitfall traps baited with four different dung types at 115 study sites, distributed over a spatial extent of 300 km × 300 km and 1000 m in elevation. Study sites were established in four local land-use types: forests, grasslands, arable sites, and settlements, embedded in near-natural, agricultural, or urban landscapes. Our results show that abundance and species density of dung-visiting beetles were negatively affected by agricultural land use at both spatial scales, whereas γ-diversity at the local scale was negatively affected by settlements and on a landscape scale equally by agricultural and urban land use. Increasing precipitation diminished dung-visiting beetle abundance, and higher temperatures reduced community specialization on dung types and γ-diversity. These results indicate that intensive land use and high temperatures may cause a loss in dung-visiting beetle diversity and alter community networks. A decrease in dung-visiting beetle diversity may disturb decomposition processes at both local and landscape scales and alter ecosystem functioning, which may lead to drastic ecological and economic damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Englmeier
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
| | | | - Daniel Rieker
- Department of Conservation BiologyGoethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt am MainGermany
| | - Marc Eric Benbow
- AgBioResearch and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Department of EntomologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- AgBioResearch and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Department of Osteopathic SpecialtiesMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Caryl Benjamin
- TUM School of Life Sciences, EcoclimatologyTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Ute Fricke
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Cristina Ganuza
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Maria Haensel
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Tomáš Lackner
- Department of Conservation and ResearchBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
| | - Oliver Mitesser
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
| | - Sarah Redlich
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Rebekka Riebl
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Sandra Rojas‐Botero
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Thomas Rummler
- Institute of GeographyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Jörg‐Alfred Salamon
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution & Field Station SchapenUniversity of Veterinary Medicine HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - David Sommer
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPraha‐2Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental SciencesCzech University of Life Sciences PraguePraha‐SuchdolCzech Republic
| | - Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Cynthia Tobisch
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
- Institute of Ecology and LandscapeWeihenstephan‐Triesdorf University of Applied SciencesFreisingGermany
| | - Johannes Uhler
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
| | - Lars Uphus
- TUM School of Life Sciences, EcoclimatologyTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyJulius‐Maximilians‐University WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
- Department of Conservation and ResearchBavarian Forest National ParkGrafenauGermany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Urrutia MA, Cortez V, Verdú JR. Links Between Feeding Preferences and Electroantennogram Response Profiles in Dung Beetles: The Importance of Dung Odor Bouquets. J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:690-703. [PMID: 36083414 PMCID: PMC9618527 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The detection of dung odors is a crucial step in the food-searching behavior of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). Yet, whether certain compounds characteristic of a given dung type contribute to a ‘choosy generalism’ behavior proposed for this taxonomic group is unknown. To address this, we analyzed the chemical composition of three types of dung (cow, horse, and rabbit) and conducted behavioral and electroantennogram (EAG) bioassays on 15 species of dung beetles using 19 volatile organic compounds representing the three dung samples. Chemical analyses revealed substantial qualitative and quantitative differences among dung types. When offered these food options in an olfactometer, 14 species exhibited a feeding preference. Surprisingly, all 19 compounds used in the EAG assays elicited antennal responses, with species displaying different olfactory profiles. The relationship between behavioral preferences and electrophysiological profiles highlighted that species with different food preferences had differences in antennal responses. Moreover, a specific set of EAG-active compounds (nonanal, sabinene, acetophenone, ρ-cresol, 2-heptanone, 1H-indole, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one) were the strongest drivers in the distinct sensory profiles of the trophic preference groups. Our results point to the importance of the whole bouquet of dung-emanating compounds in driving food-searching behavior, but specific volatiles could aid in determining highly marked trophic preferences in certain species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Urrutia
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Bioaffiliationersidad) Science Park, University of Alicante, E-03690, Alicante, Spain
| | - Vieyle Cortez
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Bioaffiliationersidad) Science Park, University of Alicante, E-03690, Alicante, Spain
| | - José R Verdú
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Bioaffiliationersidad) Science Park, University of Alicante, E-03690, Alicante, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Staab M, Achury R, Ammer C, Ehbrecht M, Irmscher V, Mohr H, Schall P, Weisser WW, Blüthgen N. Negative effects of forest gaps on dung removal in a full‐factorial experiment. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:2113-2124. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Staab
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt Darmstadt Germany
| | - Rafael Achury
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Technische Universität München Freising Germany
| | - Christian Ammer
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land‐use University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Martin Ehbrecht
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Veronika Irmscher
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt Darmstadt Germany
| | - Hendrik Mohr
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt Darmstadt Germany
| | - Peter Schall
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Wolfgang W. Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Technische Universität München Freising Germany
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt Darmstadt Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chiew LY, Hackett TD, Brodie JF, Teoh SW, Burslem DFRP, Reynolds G, Deere NJ, Vairappan CS, Slade EM. Tropical forest dung beetle-mammal dung interaction networks remain similar across an environmental disturbance gradient. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:604-617. [PMID: 34954816 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Conservation outcomes could be greatly enhanced if strategies addressing anthropogenic land-use change considered the impacts of these changes on entire communities as well as on individual species. Examining how species interactions change across gradients of habitat disturbance allows us to predict the cascading consequences of species extinctions and the response of ecological networks to environmental change. We conducted the first detailed study of changes in a commensalist network of mammals and dung beetles across an environmental disturbance gradient, from primary tropical forest to plantations, which varied in above-ground carbon density (ACD) and mammal communities. Mammal diversity changed only slightly across the gradient, remaining high even in oil palm plantations and fragmented forest. Dung beetle species richness, however, declined in response to lower ACD and was particularly low in plantations and the most disturbed forest sites. Three of the five network metrics (nestedness, network specialization, and functionality) were significantly affected by changes in dung beetle species richness and ACD, but mammal diversity was not an important predictor of network structure. Overall, the interaction networks remained structurally and functionally similar across the gradient, only becoming simplified (i.e., with fewer dung beetle species and fewer interactions) in the most disturbed sites. We suggest that the high diversity of mammals, even in disturbed forests, combined with the generalist feeding patterns of dung beetles, confer resilience to the commensalist dung beetle-mammal networks. This study highlights the importance of protecting logged and fragmented forests to maintain interaction networks and potentially prevent extinction cascades in human-modified systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Yuen Chiew
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Talya D Hackett
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Jedediah F Brodie
- Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana Missoula, MT, 59802, USA
| | - Shu Woan Teoh
- Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana Missoula, MT, 59802, USA
| | - David F R P Burslem
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Glen Reynolds
- South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Nicolas J Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Charles S Vairappan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.,Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Dr, 637459, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Xing S, Fayle TM. The rise of ecological network meta-analyses: Problems and prospects. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
|
16
|
Drinkwater R, Williamson J, Clare EL, Chung AYC, Rossiter SJ, Slade E. Dung beetles as samplers of mammals in Malaysian Borneo-a test of high throughput metabarcoding of iDNA. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11897. [PMID: 34447624 PMCID: PMC8366524 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) sampling in biodiversity surveys is becoming increasingly widespread, with most terrestrial studies relying on DNA derived from the gut contents of blood-feeding invertebrates, such as leeches and mosquitoes. Dung beetles (superfamily Scarabaeoidea) primarily feed on the faecal matter of terrestrial vertebrates and offer several potential benefits over blood-feeding invertebrates as samplers of vertebrate DNA. Importantly, these beetles can be easily captured in large numbers using simple, inexpensive baited traps, are globally distributed, and occur in a wide range of habitats. To build on the few existing studies demonstrating the potential of dung beetles as sources of mammalian DNA, we subjected the large-bodied, Bornean dung beetle (Catharsius renaudpauliani) to a controlled feeding experiment. We analysed DNA from gut contents at different times after feeding using qPCR techniques. Here, we first describe the window of DNA persistence within a dung beetle digestive tract. We found that the ability to successfully amplify cattle DNA decayed over relatively short time periods, with DNA copy number decreasing by two orders of magnitude in just 6 h. In addition, we sampled communities of dung beetles from a lowland tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia, in order to test whether it is possible to identify vertebrate sequences from dung beetle iDNA. We sequenced both the gut contents from large dung beetle species, as well as whole communities of smaller beetles. We successfully identified six mammalian species from our samples, including the bearded pig (Sus barbatus) and the sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)—both vulnerable species on the IUCN red list. Our results represent the first use of dung beetle iDNA to sample Southeast Asian vertebrate fauna, and highlight the potential for dung beetle iDNA to be used in future biodiversity monitoring surveys.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Drinkwater
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Williamson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth L Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arthur Y C Chung
- Sabah Forestry Department, Forest Research Centre, Sandakan, Malaysia
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor Slade
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore City, Singapore.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tonelli M, Giménez Gómez VC, Verdú JR, Casanoves F, Zunino M. Dung Beetle Assemblages Attracted to Cow and Horse Dung: The Importance of Mouthpart Traits, Body Size, and Nesting Behavior in the Community Assembly Process. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11090873. [PMID: 34575022 PMCID: PMC8472632 DOI: 10.3390/life11090873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles use excrement for feeding and reproductive purposes. Although they use a range of dung types, there have been several reports of dung beetles showing a preference for certain feces. However, exactly what determines dung preference in dung beetles remains controversial. In the present study, we investigated differences in dung beetle communities attracted to horse or cow dung from a functional diversity standpoint. Specifically, by examining 18 functional traits, we sought to understand if the dung beetle assembly process is mediated by particular traits in different dung types. Species specific dung preferences were recorded for eight species, two of which prefer horse dung and six of which prefer cow dung. Significant differences were found between the functional traits of the mouthparts of the dung beetles attracted to horse dung and those that were attracted to cow dung. Specifically, zygum development and the percentage of the molar area and the conjunctive area differed between horse and cow dung colonizing beetles. We propose that the quantitative differences in the mouthpart traits of the species attracted to horse and cow dung respectively could be related to the differential capacity of the beetles to filtrate and concentrate small particles from the dung. Hence, the dung preference of dung beetles could be related to their ability to exploit a specific dung type, which varies according to their mouthpart traits. Moreover, we found that larger and nester beetles preferred cow dung, whereas smaller and non-nester beetles preferred horse dung. This finding could be related to the tradeoff between fitness and parental investments, and to the suitability of the trophic resource according to the season and species phenology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Tonelli
- Department of Pure and Applied Science (DiSPeA), University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, 61029 Urbino, Italy
- I.U.I CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad), Universidad de Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain;
- Correspondence:
| | - Victoria C. Giménez Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones–CONICET, 3370 Puerto Iguazú, Argentina;
| | - José R. Verdú
- I.U.I CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad), Universidad de Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain;
| | - Fernando Casanoves
- CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, 30501 Turrialba, Costa Rica;
| | - Mario Zunino
- Asti Academic Centre for Advanced Studies, School of Biodiversity, 14100 Asti, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Rodríguez-López ME, Sánchez-Hernández G, Gómez B. Evaluación del estiércol de mamíferos nativos como potenciales atrayentes para el muestreo de escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.1943215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Edivaldo Rodríguez-López
- Departamento de Conservación De La Biodiversidad, El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), San Cristóbal De Las Casas, Chiapas, México
| | - Gibrán Sánchez-Hernández
- Departamento de Conservación De La Biodiversidad, El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), San Cristóbal De Las Casas, Chiapas, México
| | - Benigno Gómez
- Departamento de Conservación De La Biodiversidad, El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), San Cristóbal De Las Casas, Chiapas, México
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Felipe-Lucia MR, Soliveres S, Penone C, Fischer M, Ammer C, Boch S, Boeddinghaus RS, Bonkowski M, Buscot F, Fiore-Donno AM, Frank K, Goldmann K, Gossner MM, Hölzel N, Jochum M, Kandeler E, Klaus VH, Kleinebecker T, Leimer S, Manning P, Oelmann Y, Saiz H, Schall P, Schloter M, Schöning I, Schrumpf M, Solly EF, Stempfhuber B, Weisser WW, Wilcke W, Wubet T, Allan E. Land-use intensity alters networks between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:28140-28149. [PMID: 33093203 PMCID: PMC7668166 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016210117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Land-use intensification can increase provisioning ecosystem services, such as food and timber production, but it also drives changes in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity loss, which may ultimately compromise human wellbeing. To understand how changes in land-use intensity affect the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services, we built networks from correlations between the species richness of 16 trophic groups, 10 ecosystem functions, and 15 ecosystem services. We evaluated how the properties of these networks varied across land-use intensity gradients for 150 forests and 150 grasslands. Land-use intensity significantly affected network structure in both habitats. Changes in connectance were larger in forests, while changes in modularity and evenness were more evident in grasslands. Our results show that increasing land-use intensity leads to more homogeneous networks with less integration within modules in both habitats, driven by the belowground compartment in grasslands, while forest responses to land management were more complex. Land-use intensity strongly altered hub identity and module composition in both habitats, showing that the positive correlations of provisioning services with biodiversity and ecosystem functions found at low land-use intensity levels, decline at higher intensity levels. Our approach provides a comprehensive view of the relationships between multiple components of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services and how they respond to land use. This can be used to identify overall changes in the ecosystem, to derive mechanistic hypotheses, and it can be readily applied to further global change drivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María R Felipe-Lucia
- Department of Ecosystem Services, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), 04318 Leipzig, Germany;
- Department of Ecosystem Services, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Santiago Soliveres
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain
| | - Caterina Penone
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Markus Fischer
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ammer
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Steffen Boch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
- Research Unit Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Runa S Boeddinghaus
- Department of Soil Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Michael Bonkowski
- Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - François Buscot
- Department of Ecosystem Services, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Kevin Frank
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kezia Goldmann
- Soil Ecology Department, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Martin M Gossner
- Research Unit Forest Health and Biotic Interactions, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, 85350 Freising, Germany
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Malte Jochum
- Department of Ecosystem Services, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ellen Kandeler
- Department of Soil Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Valentin H Klaus
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Till Kleinebecker
- Institute of Landscape Ecology and Resource Management, University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sophia Leimer
- Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Peter Manning
- Research Group Community Ecology and Macroecology, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yvonne Oelmann
- Geoecology, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hugo Saiz
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Schall
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ingo Schöning
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Biogeochemical Integration, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Marion Schrumpf
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Biogeochemical Integration, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Emily F Solly
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Biogeochemical Integration, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Stempfhuber
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, 85350 Freising, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wilcke
- Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Department of Ecosystem Services, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Eric Allan
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ong XR, Slade EM, Lim MLM. Dung beetle‐megafauna trophic networks in Singapore’s fragmented forests. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Rui Ong
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore City Singapore
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore City Singapore
| | - Eleanor M. Slade
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore City Singapore
| | - Matthew L. M. Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore City Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Carvalho RL, Weir T, Vasconcelos HL, Andersen AN. Dung beetles of an Australian tropical savanna: Species composition, food preferences and responses to experimental fire regimes. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel L. Carvalho
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG 38405-302 Brazil
| | - Tom Weir
- Australian National Insect Collection; CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Heraldo L. Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG 38405-302 Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Terry JCD, Lewis OT. Finding missing links in interaction networks. Ecology 2020; 101:e03047. [PMID: 32219855 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Documenting which species interact within ecological communities is challenging and labor intensive. As a result, many interactions remain unrecorded, potentially distorting our understanding of network structure and dynamics. We test the utility of four structural models and a new coverage-deficit model for predicting missing links in both simulated and empirical bipartite networks. We find they can perform well, although the predictive power of structural models varies with the underlying network structure. The accuracy of predictions can be improved by ensembling multiple models. Augmenting observed networks with most-likely missing links improves estimates of qualitative network metrics. Tools to identify likely missing links can be simple to implement, allowing the prioritization of research effort and more robust assessment of network properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Owen T Lewis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
da Silva PG, Bogoni JA, Heino J. Can taxonomic and functional metrics explain variation in the ecological uniqueness of ecologically-associated animal groups in a modified rainforest? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 708:135171. [PMID: 31796285 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The conservation of biodiversity requires adequate information about species and ecosystem attributes. The local contribution to β-diversity (LCBD) is a community composition-based metric of ecological uniqueness of sites. Here, we tested the capability of taxonomic and functional attributes of biological communities to explain variation in LCBD at a large spatial extent. We approached this idea using data on dung beetles and mammals (medium-to-large, small and volant) recorded across the Atlantic Forest of South America due to their millennial-scale evolutionary relationship (food providers and consumers). We related LCBD values to both taxonomic and functional metrics via beta regression. Our results revealed that taxonomic and functional features of assemblages can be used to predict variation in ecological uniqueness (LCBD). High LCBD values were associated with low species and functional richness for all animal groups. For dung beetles, high LCBD values were associated with low values of all functional metrics. For mammalian groups high ecological uniqueness was associated with low abundance, low Rao's quadratic entropy, as well as high functional divergence, functional evenness, functional originality, and either low or high functional specialization. This implies that variation in ecological uniqueness can be explained by functional features at large spatial extents, although the type of functional metrics' response of assemblages may be animal group specific. The potential of the LCBD metric to inform about both taxonomic and functional changes at large scales makes its use in conservation planning a highly promising approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Giovâni da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Juliano André Bogoni
- Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação de Fauna Silvestre (LEMaC), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jani Heino
- Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, Oulu, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Raine EH, Mikich SB, Lewis OT, Slade EM. Linking dung beetle‐mediated functions to interactions in the Atlantic Forest: Sampling design matters. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Owen T. Lewis
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Eleanor M. Slade
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Occurrence, prevalence, and explanatory environmental variables of Spirocerca vulpis infestation in the foxes of western Spain. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:973-983. [PMID: 31932914 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06590-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to not only establish the prevalence of the recently described Spirocerca vulpis parasite in the wild-life cycle of carnivores in western Spain but to also elaborate a model to explain the risk of infestation based on 16 topo-climatic and habitat variables. During the period from June 2016 to November 2017, 1644 carcasses of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and another 105 wild mammals, legally hunted or killed in car accidents, were analyzed. Parasitic nodules of Spirocerca were found in 6% of the foxes, and the molecular analyses established a homology of our samples with the species S. vulpis. There were no differences in the occurrence of the infestation between sexes, but there were differences in terms of age, such that infestation was proportionally more frequent among young individuals. In terms of temporality, a higher percentage of positive cases was observed during the late-autumn and winter months, especially between December and February. This study provides new data on the factors that predispose S. vulpis infection in the red fox. Model results indicate that a spatial pattern exists in the occurrence and prevalence of this species in the studied area (higher probabilities to the west), and that this pattern seems to mainly be associated with topo-climatic variables.
Collapse
|
26
|
Trait responses of Peninsular Malaysian dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) to the loss of megafauna dung. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467419000270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
|
27
|
Hoenle PO, Blüthgen N, Brückner A, Kronauer DJC, Fiala B, Donoso DA, Smith MA, Ospina Jara B, von Beeren C. Species-level predation network uncovers high prey specificity in a Neotropical army ant community. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2423-2440. [PMID: 31050080 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Army ants are among the top arthropod predators and considered keystone species in tropical ecosystems. During daily mass raids with many thousand workers, army ants hunt live prey, likely exerting strong top-down control on prey species. Many tropical sites exhibit a high army ant species diversity (>20 species), suggesting that sympatric species partition the available prey niches. However, whether and to what extent this is achieved has not been intensively studied yet. We therefore conducted a large-scale diet survey of a community of surface-raiding army ants at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. We systematically collected 3,262 prey items from eleven army ant species (genera Eciton, Nomamyrmex and Neivamyrmex). Prey items were classified as ant prey or non-ant prey. The prey nearly exclusively consisted of other ants (98%), and most booty was ant brood (87%). Using morphological characters and DNA barcoding, we identified a total of 1,103 ant prey specimens to the species level. One hundred twenty-nine ant species were detected among the army ant prey, representing about 30% of the known local ant diversity. Using weighted bipartite network analyses, we show that prey specialization in army ants is unexpectedly high and prey niche overlap very small. Besides food niche differentiation, we uncovered a spatiotemporal niche differentiation in army ant raid activity. We discuss competition-driven multidimensional niche differentiation and predator-prey arms races as possible mechanisms underlying prey specialization in army ants. By combining systematic prey sampling with species-level prey identification and network analyses, our integrative approach can guide future research by portraying how predator-prey interactions in complex communities can be reliably studied, even in cases where morphological prey identification is infeasible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp O Hoenle
- Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Adrian Brückner
- Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York City, New York
| | - Brigitte Fiala
- Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - David A Donoso
- Departamento de Biología, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador
| | - M Alex Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Christoph von Beeren
- Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Dyer LA, Forister ML. Challenges and advances in the study of latitudinal gradients in multitrophic interactions, with a focus on consumer specialization. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 32:68-76. [PMID: 31113634 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Increases in data availability and geographic ranges of studies have allowed for more thorough tests of latitudinal gradients in trophic interactions, with numerous recent studies testing hypotheses that strength of interactions, herbivory, plant chemical defense, and dietary specialization all increase with decreasing latitude. We review the issues surrounding these latitudinal gradients, discuss some methodological challenges, and provide some caveats relevant to inferences from existing approaches. To examine some potential issues with studies on latitudinal gradients in dietary specialization, we simulate a latitudinal gradient of communities that increase in diversity and specialization towards the equator then test the power of different sampling designs for detecting the gradient. Based on this simple simulation, as well as apparent incongruities in the literature, we conclude that subtle differences in sampling design can be responsible for failure to detect existing gradients. Despite calls for rejecting some latitudinal gradient hypotheses, it is clear that a great deal of careful research remains to determine important correlates of the well-established latitudinal gradient in diversity. In particular, future studies should focus on replicated gradients, greater emphasis on continuous sampling, and use of taxonomic controls that allow for meaningful analyses across latitudes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lee A Dyer
- EECB and Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Raine EH, Slade EM. Dung beetle-mammal associations: methods, research trends and future directions. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182002. [PMID: 30963853 PMCID: PMC6408906 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are increasingly used as a study taxon—both as bioindicators of environmental change, and as a model system for exploring ecosystem functioning. The advantages of this focal taxon approach are many; dung beetles are abundant in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems, speciose, straightforward to sample, respond to environmental gradients and can be easily manipulated to explore species-functioning relationships. However, there remain large gaps in our understanding of the relationship between dung beetles and the mammals they rely on for dung. Here we review the literature, showing that despite an increase in the study of dung beetles linked to ecosystem functioning and to habitat and land use change, there has been little research into their associations with mammals. We summarize the methods and findings from dung beetle–mammal association studies to date, revealing that although empirical field studies of dung beetles rarely include mammal data, those that do, indicate mammal species presence and composition has a large impact on dung beetle species richness and abundance. We then review the methods used to carry out diet preference and ecosystem functioning studies, finding that despite the assumption that dung beetles are generalist feeders, there are few quantitative studies that directly address this. Together this suggests that conclusions about the effects of habitat change on dung beetles are based on incomplete knowledge. We provide recommendations for future work to identify the importance of considering mammal data for dung beetle distributions, composition and their contributions to ecosystem functioning; a critical step if dung beetles are to be used as a reliable bioindicator taxon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth H Raine
- 1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford , South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS , UK
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- 1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford , South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS , UK.,2 Lancaster Environment Centre, University of Lancaster , Lancaster LA1 AYQ , UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Rosumek FB, Blüthgen N, Brückner A, Menzel F, Gebauer G, Heethoff M. Unveiling community patterns and trophic niches of tropical and temperate ants using an integrative framework of field data, stable isotopes and fatty acids. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5467. [PMID: 30155364 PMCID: PMC6109374 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The use and partitioning of trophic resources is a central aspect of community function. On the ground of tropical forests, dozens of ant species may be found together and ecological mechanisms should act to allow such coexistence. One hypothesis states that niche specialization is higher in the tropics, compared to temperate regions. However, trophic niches of most species are virtually unknown. Several techniques might be combined to study trophic niche, such as field observations, fatty acid analysis (FAA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA). In this work, we combine these three techniques to unveil partitioning of trophic resources in a tropical and a temperate community. We describe patterns of resource use, compare them between communities, and test correlation and complementarity of methods to unveil both community patterns and species' niches. Methods Resource use was assessed with seven kinds of bait representing natural resources available to ants. Neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) profiles, and δ15N and δ13C isotope signatures of the species were also obtained. Community patterns and comparisons were analyzed with clustering, correlations, multivariate analyses and interaction networks. Results Resource use structure was similar in both communities. Niche breadths (H') and network metrics (Q and H2') indicated similar levels of generalization between communities. A few species presented more specialized niches, such as Wasmannia auropunctata and Lasius fuliginosus. Stable isotope signatures and NLFA profiles also indicated high generalization, although the latter differed between communities, with temperate species having higher amounts of fat and proportions of C18:1n9. Bait use and NLFA profile similarities were correlated, as well as species' specialization indices (d') for the two methods. Similarities in δ15N and bait use, and in δ13C and NLFA profiles, were also correlated. Discussion Our results agree with the recent view that specialization levels do not change with latitude or species richness. Partition of trophic resources alone does not explain species coexistence in these communities, and might act together with behavioral and environmental mechanisms. Temperate species presented NLFA patterns distinct from tropical ones, which may be related to environmental factors. All methods corresponded in their characterization of species' niches to some extent, and were robust enough to detect differences even in highly generalized communities. However, their combination provides a more comprehensive picture of resource use, and it is particularly important to understand individual niches of species. FAA was applied here for the first time in ant ecology, and proved to be a valuable tool due to its combination of specificity and temporal representativeness. We propose that a framework combining field observations with chemical analysis is valuable to understand resource use in ant communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix B Rosumek
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Department of Ecology and Zoology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Adrian Brückner
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Michael Heethoff
- Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|