We present a preliminary analysis of the diversity of dung beetles in an altitudinal gradient on the East slope of Los Andes, Napo province, Ecuador. We sampled 12 localities within a 2200m altitudinal gradient (400-2600 m a.s.l.) using pitfall traps with 2 different baits. We registered 2215 individuals distributed within 14 genera and 54 species. Ontherus pubens was the most abundant species, with registers in 10 locations that cover an altitudinal gradient of 2021 m. We also found species associated to low, medium, and high elevation levels, as well as species located on either extreme of the altitudinal gradient. The most abundant genus was Onthophagus, and the most speciose Uroxys. This survey provides 14 new registers for the Napo province and 5 novel registers for Ecuador. We present a detailed list of the species present in the Napo province with their distribution ranges, relocation guilds, and food resource preferences. ARTICLE HISTORY

Aim Adequate responses of species to climate changes require that thermal changes remain compatible across different key biological aspects (e.g. reproduction, feeding and development). However, limits of thermal compatibility to such biological aspects are largely unknown in extant ectotherm groups. To fill this gap, we studied the intraspecific congruence of thermal responses across biological aspects. Location Iberian Peninsula. Taxon Scarabaeidae Dung beetles. Methods We studied the role of temperature in determining the diel, seasonal and geographical occurrences of 16 dung beetle species. We fitted polynomial GLMs of the abundance/occurrence of each species as a function of temperature and alternative predictors for each spatiotemporal scale, using deviance partitioning to explore the relative contribution of temperature. We used the fitted models to estimate realized thermal niche attributes at these three spatiotemporal scales, and assessed their intraspecific congruence through the correlation of niche attributes from different scales. Results We found that temperature has relatively low—but not negligible—explanatory capacity at the three spatiotemporal scales, once alternative predictors are taken into account. More importantly, the estimated thermal responses were largely incongruent across scales, indicating that these species have multidimensional thermal niches. Main conclusions The multidimensionality of thermal niches entails that species’ adjustments to fulfil temperature requirements for one biological aspect (such as seasonal ontogenetic cycles) may result in detrimental effects on other elements (e.g. diel activity). These trade‐offs could expose individuals to inadequate temperatures at certain moments, reducing populations’ performance. Paradoxically, the weak effects of temperature we found may have severe consequences for species responses to warming if temperature regulates essential aspects of their biology in divergent ways.

Understanding the consequences of climate change requires understanding how temperature controls species’ responses across key biological aspects, as well as the coordination of thermal responses across these aspects. We study the role of temperature in determining the species’ diel, seasonal, and geographical occurrence, using dung beetles as a model system. We found that temperature has relatively low −but not negligible− effects in the three spatiotemporal scales, once accounting for alternative factors. More importantly, the estimated thermal responses were largely incongruent across scales. This shows that species have multidimensional thermal niches, entailing that adjustments to fulfil temperature requirements for one biological aspect, such as seasonal ontogenetic cycles, may result in detrimental effects on other aspects, like diel activity. These trade-offs can expose individuals to inadequate temperatures, reducing populations’ performance. Paradoxically, the relatively weak effects of temperature we found may have serious consequences for species’ responses to warming if temperature regulates essential aspects of species’ biology in divergent ways.

Approaching the consequences of climate change demands understanding how temperature controls species’ responses across key biological aspects, as well as the coordination of thermal responses across these aspects. We study the role of temperature in determining the species’ diel, seasonal, and geographical occurrence, using dung beetles as a model system. We found that temperature has relatively low –but not negligible– effects in the three studied species’ aspects, once accounting for alternative factors. More importantly, the estimated thermal niches were largely incongruent across aspects. This shows that species have multidimensional thermal niches, entailing that adjustments to fulfil temperature requirements for one biological aspect, such as seasonal ontogenetic cycles, may result in detrimental effects on other aspects, like diel activity. Paradoxically, the relatively weak effects of temperature we found may have serious consequences for species’ responses to warming if temperature regulates essential aspects of species’ biology in divergent ways.