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Fattorini S, Vitozzi A, Di Biase L, Bergamaschi D. Macroecology of Dung Beetles in Italy. INSECTS 2024; 15:39. [PMID: 38249045 PMCID: PMC10816216 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The Italian fauna includes about 170 species/subspecies of dung beetles, being one of the richest in Europe. We used data on dung beetle distribution in the Italian regions to investigate some macroecological patterns. Specifically, we tested if species richness decreased southward (peninsula effect) or northward (latitudinal gradient). We also considered the effects of area (i.e., the species-area relationship), topographic complexity, and climate in explaining dung beetle richness. Finally, we used multivariate techniques to identify biotic relationships between regions. We found no support for the peninsula effect, whereas scarabaeines followed a latitudinal gradient, thus supporting a possible role of southern areas as Pleistocene refuges for this group of mainly thermophilic beetles. By contrast, aphodiines were more associated with cold and humid climates and do not show a distinct latitudinal pattern. In general, species richness was influenced by area, with the Sardinian fauna being however strongly impoverished because of its isolation. Faunal patterns for mainland regions reflect the influence of current ecological settings and historical factors (Pleistocene glaciations) in determining species distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Fattorini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Alessia Vitozzi
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Letizia Di Biase
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Davide Bergamaschi
- Department of Entomology, Forbes 410, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Alves da Silva RDS, Machado AF, Costa DA, José da Silva R, A. Correa CM, Vaz-de-Mello FZ. Contributions to the knowledge of the dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of southwestern Brazilian Amazon: list of species and conservation implications. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2022.2076983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robson Dos Santos Alves da Silva
- Coleção Entomológica de Tangará da Serra (CEnTg), Laboratório de Zoologia, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Tangará da Serra, Brasil
| | - Anildo Ferreira Machado
- Coleção Entomológica de Tangará da Serra (CEnTg), Laboratório de Zoologia, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Tangará da Serra, Brasil
- Sistemas de Produção Agrícola, Universidade do Estado de Mato GrossoPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ambiente e , Tangará da Serra, Brasil
| | - Diogo Andrade Costa
- da Saúde, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT)Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Biológicas e , Tangará da Serra, Brasil
| | - Ricardo José da Silva
- Coleção Entomológica de Tangará da Serra (CEnTg), Laboratório de Zoologia, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Tangará da Serra, Brasil
| | - César M. A. Correa
- Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Mato GrossoInstituto de Biociências, Departamento de Biologia e , Cuiabá, Brasil
| | - Fernando Zagury Vaz-de-Mello
- Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Mato GrossoInstituto de Biociências, Departamento de Biologia e , Cuiabá, Brasil
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Ong XR, Hemprich‐Bennett D, Gray CL, Kemp V, Chung AYC, Slade EM. Trap type affects dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity in Bornean tropical forests. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Rui Ong
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue Singapore 639798 Singapore
| | - David Hemprich‐Bennett
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford 11a Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3SZ UK
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK
| | - Claudia L. Gray
- Conservation and Policy Zoological Society of London Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY UK
| | - Victoria Kemp
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK
| | - Arthur Y. C. Chung
- Forest Research Centre Forestry Department P.O. Box 1407 Sandakan 90715 Malaysia
| | - Eleanor M. Slade
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue Singapore 639798 Singapore
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Diversity Patterns of Dung Beetles along a Mediterranean Elevational Gradient. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090781. [PMID: 34564221 PMCID: PMC8466803 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Most studies of biodiversity-elevational patterns do not take species abundance into consideration. Hill numbers are a unified family of indices that use species abundance and allow a complete characterization of species assemblages through diversity profiles. Studies on dung beetle responses to elevation were essentially based on species richness and produced inconsistent results because of the non-distinction between different habitats and the use of gradients dispersed over wide areas. We analyzed dung beetle diversity in a Mediterranean mountain (central Italy) for different habitats (woodlands vs. grasslands) and taxonomic groups (scarabaeids and aphodiids). Scarabaeids were the most abundant. Since scarabaeids are able to construct subterranean nests, this indicates that the warm and dry summer climatic conditions of high elevations favor species capable of protecting their larvae from desiccation. Dung beetles were more abundant and diversified in grasslands than in woodlands, which is consistent with their preference for open habitats. In the woodlands, diversity increased with increasing elevation because of increasing tree thinning, whereas, in the grasslands, diversity decreased with elevation because of increasingly harsher environmental conditions. These results indicate a trade-off in the beetle response to elevation between the positive effects of increasing the availability of more suitable habitats and the decrease of optimal environmental conditions.
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Noriega JA, Santos AMC, Calatayud J, Chozas S, Hortal J. Short- and long-term temporal changes in the assemblage structure of Amazonian dung beetles. Oecologia 2021; 195:719-736. [PMID: 33569745 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04831-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Species diversity varies in space and time. Temporal changes in the structure and dynamics of communities can occur at different scales. We investigated the temporal changes of dung beetle assemblages in the Amazonian region along seasons, years, and successional stages. We evaluated if assemblage structure changes between temporal scales and whether such changes affect the functional structure of communities. To achieve these goals, we sampled dung beetles using linear transects of baited pitfall traps during the dry and rainy seasons at two natural reserves in the Amazon region, each representing different time scales: one covering successional variations (80, 30, 5, and 1 years of recovery from logging) and the other one encompassing three consecutive years at two successional stages (20 and 10 years from logging). We used Generalized Linear Models to analyze interannual and successional changes in diversity, described assemblage structure with a NMDS, and examined compositional variation by partitioning beta diversity into its nestedness and turnover components. Abundance and richness decrease from the rainy to the dry season and towards earlier successional stages but do not differ between years. Assemblage diversity changes differently in interannual and successional scales. During succession, dung beetle assemblages change drastically, following a nested structure due to the appearance of species and functional groups in later successional stages. In contrast, functional group composition does not show consistent changes between years, displaying a turnover structure. This pattern supports non-deterministic changes in dung beetle assemblage structure along forest succession.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ari Noriega
- Departament of Biogeography & Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
- Laboratory of Zoology and Aquatic Ecology - LAZOEA, University of los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Ana M C Santos
- Global Change Ecology & Evolution (GLOCEE) Group, Department of Life Sciences, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Calatayud
- Departament of Biogeography & Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
- Area of Biodiversity and Conservation, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n., 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Chozas
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joaquín Hortal
- Departament of Biogeography & Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Fowler F, Wilcox T, Orr S, Watson W. Sampling Efficacy and Survival Rates of Labarrus pseudolividus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and Onthophagus taurus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Using Flotation and Sieve-Separation Methodology. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:5948073. [PMID: 33135751 PMCID: PMC7751142 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding collection methodologies and their limitations are essential when targeting specific arthropods for use in habitat restoration, conservation, laboratory colony formation, or when holistically representing local populations using ecological surveys. For dung beetles, the most popular collection methodology is baited traps, followed by light traps and unbaited flight-intercept traps during diversity surveys. A less common collection method, flotation, is assumed to be laborious and messy, and so only a handful of papers exist on its refinement and strengths. Our purpose was threefold: First, we tested the recovery and survival rates of Labarrus (=Aphodius) pseudolividus (Balthasar) and Onthophagus taurus (Schreber) when floating beetle-seeded dung pats to determine potential collection and safety issues. We collected 72.4 and 78% of the seeded L. pseudolividus and O. taurus, respectively, with >95% survival rating. Second, we developed a flotation-sieving technique that enables users to rapidly collect and passively sort dung beetles with less time and effort. Specifically, we often collected 50-100 g of wild dung beetles within a couple of hours of gathering dung and sorted them in a couple more by allowing dung beetles to sort themselves by size within a series of sieves; Third, we reviewed flotation-based advantages and disadvantages in comparison to other methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fallon Fowler
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Grinnells Animal Health Laboratories, Raleigh, NC
| | - Tashiana Wilcox
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Grinnells Animal Health Laboratories, Raleigh, NC
| | - Stephanie Orr
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Grinnells Animal Health Laboratories, Raleigh, NC
| | - Wes Watson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Grinnells Animal Health Laboratories, Raleigh, NC
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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
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França FM, Ferreira J, Vaz‐de‐Mello FZ, Maia LF, Berenguer E, Ferraz Palmeira A, Fadini R, Louzada J, Braga R, Hugo Oliveira V, Barlow J. El Niño impacts on human‐modified tropical forests: Consequences for dung beetle diversity and associated ecological processes. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Filipe M. França
- Embrapa Amazônia Oriental Belém Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Joice Ferreira
- Embrapa Amazônia Oriental Belém Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Brazil
| | | | - Laís F. Maia
- Bio‐Protection Research Centre School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Erika Berenguer
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
- Environmental Change Institute University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Rodrigo Fadini
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Florestas Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará Santarém Brazil
| | - Júlio Louzada
- Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Braga
- Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
- Unidade Divinópolis Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais Divinópolis Brazil
| | | | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
- Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
- MCT/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Belém Brazil
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Rangel-Acosta JL, Martínez-Hernández NJ, Yonoff-Zapata R. Respuesta de los escarabajos coprófagos (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) a la modificación del hábitat causada por un incendio forestal en la Reserva Bijibana, Atlántico-Colombia. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2020. [DOI: 10.22201/ib.20078706e.2020.91.2879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Cassenote S, Silva PGD, Mare RAD, Paladini A. Seasonality of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in Atlantic Forest sites with different levels of disturbance in southern Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4766e2019035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Dung beetle species were collected between May 2016 and July 2017 with pitfall traps baited with human feces in four Atlantic Forest sites with different levels of disturbance in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. We sampled 5,535 individuals belonging to 46 species. Canthidium aff. trinodosum (20.71%), Eurysternus parallelus Castelnau, 1840 (14.82%), Onthophagus catharinensis Paulian, 1936 (12.09%), Scybalocanthon nigriceps (Harold, 1868) (7.61 %), Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst, 1789) (7.49%), and Canthon rutilans cyanescens Harold, 1868 (7.22%) were the most abundant species, which represented 70% of the individuals sampled. Moreno Fortes Biological Reserve had the higher richness and Morro do Cerrito the higher abundance, while Val Feltrina presented the lowest values. The greatest similarity occurred between Turvo State Park and Moreno Fortes Biological Reserve, while Moreno Fortes Biological Reserve and Val Feltrina had the lowest similarity. Only 11 species (23.9%) occurred in all sites, while 14 species were restricted to only one of the fragments. Both abundance and richness of dung beetles were positively correlated with site temperature but not with precipitation.
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Ernesto MV, Liberal CN, Ferreira AS, Alves ACF, Zeppelini D, Martins CF, Pereira-Colavite A, Creão-Duarte AJ, Vasconcellos A. Hexapod decomposers of Serra de Santa Catarina, Paraíba, Brazil: an area with high potential for conservation of Caatinga biodiversity. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2017-0410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract: In detritus-based trophic systems, springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites consume and fragment organic matter and control populations of decomposer microorganisms, exerting a strong influence on energy and nutrient fluxes. A faunal inventory of these four groups of hexapods was performed in Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), an area of arboreal-shrub caatinga located in the state of Paraíba, with the purpose of characterizing the assemblages of these taxa, and highlighting their unique links to the local ecosystem. Samplings were performed in May, 2014, and April, 2015, both during the rainy season. Standard sampling protocols for biodiversity inventory of the various taxa were used, including both active and passive sampling methods. In general, 114 species of hexapods were captured, with 26 species of springtails, 20 dung beetles, 30 saprophagous calyptrate flies and 38 termites, with sampling sufficiency varying from 69.5 to 96.8% of total estimated richness. Species richness of the groups are among the highest recorded for a single area of Caatinga, with some taxa being recorded for the first time for the domain. Several morphospecies had indeterminate taxonomic status, especially springtails and termites, and are quite likely new species to science. The structure of the assemblages of springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites recorded in SSC, suggest that this conserved area is unique within the highly impacted landscape of Caatinga, and has great potential for the conservation of biodiversity of this domain in the Northeast Region of Brazil.
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Audino LD, Murphy SJ, Zambaldi L, Louzada J, Comita LS. Drivers of community assembly in tropical forest restoration sites: role of local environment, landscape, and space. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:1731-1745. [PMID: 28434188 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing recognition that community assembly theory can offer valuable insights for ecological restoration. We studied community assembly processes following tropical forest restoration efforts, using dung beetles (Scarabaeinae) as a focal taxon to investigate taxonomic and functional patterns of biodiversity recovery. We evaluated the relative importance of the local environment (i.e., canopy cover, understory cover, tree basal area, and soil texture), landscape context (i.e., habitat patch proximity and availability and percentage of surrounding area classified as natural forest or Eucalyptus spp. plantation), and space (i.e., spatial proximity of the study areas to estimate dispersal limitation or unmeasured spatially structured processes) on dung beetle species and functional trait composition across a gradient of 15 restoration sites in Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We also assessed which factors were the primary determinants in the establishment of individual dung beetle functional groups, classified according to size, food relocation habit, diet, and period of flight activity. Both species and functional trait composition were most strongly influenced by the local environment, indicating that assembly was predominantly driven by niche-based processes. Most of the variation explained by space was co-explained by local environment and landscape context, ruling out a strong influence of dispersal limitation and random colonization on assembly following restoration. In addition, nearly all of the variance explained by landscape context was co-explained by local environment, suggesting that arrival and establishment at a site depends on both local and landscape-scale environmental factors. Despite strong evidence for niche-based assembly, a large amount of variation remained unexplained in all models, suggesting that stochastic processes and/or unmeasured environmental variables also play an important role. The relative importance of local environment, landscape context, and space changed considerably when analyzing the assembly mechanisms of each functional group separately. Therefore, to recover distinct functional traits in restoration sites, it may be necessary to manipulate different components of the local environment and surrounding landscape. Overall, this study shows that assembly rules can help to better understand recovery processes, enabling improvement of future restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia D Audino
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - Stephen J Murphy
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Ludimila Zambaldi
- Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais, Faz. Varginha, Rodovia Bambuí/Medeiros, Km 05, Caixa Postal 05, Bambui, Minas Gerais, 38900-000, Brazil
| | - Julio Louzada
- Setor de Ecologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-000, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Liza S Comita
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama
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The impacts of recurrent fires on diversity of fruit-feeding butterflies in a south-eastern Amazon forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467416000559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:In the south-eastern Amazon, positive feedbacks between land use and severe weather events are increasing the frequency and intensity of fires, threatening local biodiversity. We sampled fruit-feeding butterflies in experimental plots in a south-eastern Amazon forest: one control plot, one plot burned every 3 y, one plot burned yearly. We also measured environmental parameters (canopy cover, temperature, humidity). Our results show no significant differences in overall species richness between plots (34, 37 and 33 species respectively), although richness was lower in burned plots during the dry season. We found significant differences in community composition and structure between control and burned plots, but not between burned treatments. In the control plot, forest-specialist species represented 64% of total abundance, decreasing to 50% in burned every 3 y and 54% in yearly burned plots. Savanna specialist species were absent in the control plot, but represented respectively 8% and 3% of total abundance in burned plots. The best predictor of the change in spatial community patterns and abundance of forest specialists was canopy cover. Although we found high resilience to forest burning in many species, our study suggests that fire disturbance can still be a threat to forest specialists due to changes in microclimate.
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França FM, Korasaki V, Louzada J, Vaz-de-Mello FZ. First report on dung beetles in intra-Amazonian savannahs in Roraima, Brazil. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2015-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
This is the first study to address the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) diversity in intra-Amazonian savannahs in the state of Roraima, Brazil. Our aim was to survey the dung beetle fauna associated with these savannahs (regionally called 'lavrado'), since little is known about the dung beetles from this environment. We conducted three field samples using pitfall traps baited with human dung in savannah areas near the city of Boa Vista during the rainy seasons of 1996, 1997, and 2008. We collected 383 individuals from ten species, wherein six have no previous record in intra-Amazonian savannahs. The most abundant species were Ontherus appendiculatus (Mannerheim, 1829), Canthidium aff. humerale (Germar, 1813), Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789), and Pseudocanthon aff. xanthurus (Blanchard, 1846). We believe that knowing the dung beetles diversity associated with the intra-Amazonian savannahs is ideal for understanding the occurrence and distribution of these organisms in a highly threatened environment, it thus being the first step towards conservation strategy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe M. França
- Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brazil; Lancaster University, UK
| | | | - Julio Louzada
- Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brazil; Lancaster University, UK
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Silveira JM, Louzada J, Barlow J, Andrade R, Mestre L, Solar R, Lacau S, Cochrane MA. A Multi-Taxa Assessment of Biodiversity Change After Single and Recurrent Wildfires in a Brazilian Amazon Forest. Biotropica 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julio Louzada
- Universidade Federal de Lavras; Lavras MG 37200-000 Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ U.K
| | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ U.K
| | | | - Luiz Mestre
- South Dakota State University; Brookings SD 57007 U.S.A
- Universidade Federal do Paraná; Palotina PR 85950-000 Brazil
| | - Ricardo Solar
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Viçosa MG 36570-900 Brazil
| | - Sébastien Lacau
- Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia; Itapetinga BA 45700-000 Brazil
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Chong JH, Hinson KR. A Comparison of Trap Types for Assessing Diversity of Scarabaeoidea on South Carolina Golf Courses. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 108:2383-2396. [PMID: 26453727 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A 2-yr survey was conducted on golf courses in South Carolina to 1) document the species richness and seasonal activity of Scarabaeoidea; 2) assess any species compositional differences among three trap types (ultraviolet light, unbaited flight-intercept, and unbaited pitfall); and 3) identify any dominant taxa in each trap type. A total of 74,326 scarabaeoid beetles were captured, of which 77.4% were Aphodiinae (not identified to species). The remaining specimens belong to 104 species in 47 genera and 6 families. The most abundant species were Cyclocephala lurida Bland, Dyscinetus morator (F.), Euetheola humilis (Burmeister), Hybosorus illigeri Reiche, and Maladera castanea (Arrow). In all trap types, >90% of all specimens and taxa were collected between April and August. Ultraviolet light traps collected ∼94% of total specimens consisting of 83 taxa (of which 51 were unique to this trap type), whereas flight-intercept traps captured ∼2% of all specimens representing 53 taxa (18 of which were unique), and pitfall traps captured ∼4% of all specimens representing 15 taxa (no unique species; all species also captured by ultraviolet light traps). Indicator species analysis identified 2-3 and 10-13 taxa that were most frequently collected by flight-intercept and ultraviolet light traps, respectively. Flight-intercept traps complemented ultraviolet light traps by capturing more species of dung and carrion beetles and diurnal phytophagous scarab beetles. Results suggested that a similar survey for domestic or exotic scarabaeoid beetles in turfgrass systems should be conducted between April and August using ultraviolet light and flight-intercept traps at 13-58 sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juang-Horng Chong
- Clemson University, Pee Dee Research and Education Center, 2200 Pocket Rd., Florence, SC 29506.
| | - Kevin R Hinson
- Clemson University, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 171 Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson, SC 29634
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Arellano L, Castillo-Guevara C. Efecto de los incendios forestales no controlados en el ensamble de escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) en un bosque templado del centro de México. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2014. [DOI: 10.7550/rmb.41756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Zhang Q, Hou X, Li FY, Niu J, Zhou Y, Ding Y, Zhao L, Li X, Ma W, Kang S. Alpha, beta and gamma diversity differ in response to precipitation in the Inner Mongolia grassland. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93518. [PMID: 24675900 PMCID: PMC3968148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the distribution pattern and maintenance mechanism of species diversity along environmental gradients is essential for developing biodiversity conservation strategies under environmental change. We have surveyed the species diversity at 192 vegetation sites across different steppe zones in Inner Mongolia, China. We analysed the total species diversity (γ diversity) and its composition (α diversity and β diversity) of different steppe types, and their changes along a precipitation gradient. Our results showed that (i) β diversity contributed more than α diversity to the total (γ) diversity in the Inner Mongolia grassland; the contribution of β diversity increased with precipitation, thus the species-rich (meadow steppe) grassland had greater contribution of β diversity than species-poor (desert steppe) grassland. (ii) All α, β and γ species diversity increased significantly (P<0.05) with precipitation, but their sensitivity to precipitation (diversity change per mm precipitation increase) was different between the steppe types. The sensitivity of α diversity of different steppe community types was negatively (P<0.05) correlated with mean annual precipitation, whereas the sensitivity of β and γ diversity showed no trend along the precipitation gradient (P>0.10). (iii) The α diversity increased logarithmically, while β diversity increased exponentially, with γ diversity. Our results suggest that for local species diversity patterns, the site species pool is more important in lower precipitation areas, while local ecological processes are more important in high precipitation areas. In addition, for β diversity maintenance niche processes and diffusion processes are more important in low and high precipitation areas, respectively. Our results imply that a policy of “multiple small reserves” is better than one of a “single large reserve” for conserving species diversity of a steppe ecosystem, and indicate an urgent need to develop management strategies for climate-sensitive desert steppe ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Sino-US Center for Conservation, Energy and Sustainability Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiangyang Hou
- Grassland Research Institute of Chinese Academic of Agricultural Science, Hohhot, China
| | - Frank Yonghong Li
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Jianming Niu
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Sino-US Center for Conservation, Energy and Sustainability Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Yanlin Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yong Ding
- Grassland Research Institute of Chinese Academic of Agricultural Science, Hohhot, China
| | - Liqing Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xin Li
- Sino-US Center for Conservation, Energy and Sustainability Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Wenjing Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Sarula Kang
- School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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Barlow J, Silveira JM, Mestre LAM, Andrade RB, Camacho D'Andrea G, Louzada J, Vaz-de-Mello FZ, Numata I, Lacau S, Cochrane MA. Wildfires in bamboo-dominated Amazonian forest: impacts on above-ground biomass and biodiversity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33373. [PMID: 22428035 PMCID: PMC3302859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire has become an increasingly important disturbance event in south-western Amazonia. We conducted the first assessment of the ecological impacts of these wildfires in 2008, sampling forest structure and biodiversity along twelve 500 m transects in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve, Acre, Brazil. Six transects were placed in unburned forests and six were in forests that burned during a series of forest fires that occurred from August to October 2005. Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) calculations, based on Landsat reflectance data, indicate that all transects were similar prior to the fires. We sampled understorey and canopy vegetation, birds using both mist nets and point counts, coprophagous dung beetles and the leaf-litter ant fauna. Fire had limited influence upon either faunal or floral species richness or community structure responses, and stems <10 cm DBH were the only group to show highly significant (p = 0.001) community turnover in burned forests. Mean aboveground live biomass was statistically indistinguishable in the unburned and burned plots, although there was a significant increase in the total abundance of dead stems in burned plots. Comparisons with previous studies suggest that wildfires had much less effect upon forest structure and biodiversity in these south-western Amazonian forests than in central and eastern Amazonia, where most fire research has been undertaken to date. We discuss potential reasons for the apparent greater resilience of our study plots to wildfire, examining the role of fire intensity, bamboo dominance, background rates of disturbance, landscape and soil conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Juliana M. Silveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras-UFLA, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luiz A. M. Mestre
- Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Palotina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rafael B. Andrade
- Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Gabriela Camacho D'Andrea
- Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Julio Louzada
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras-UFLA, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello
- Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Izaya Numata
- Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
| | - Sébastien Lacau
- Departamento de Estudos Basicos e Instrumentais, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Itapetinga, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Mark A. Cochrane
- Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
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