Diversity and seasonality of Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in forest fragments in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Silva, Pedro Giovâni da; Vaz‐de‐Mello, Fernando Z.; Mare, Rocco Alfredo Di

doi:10.1590/s0001-37652013005000033

Cited by 45 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 62 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The approach of summer conditions linked with an increase in temperature and precipitation is the best seasonal predictor, although its pure explanatory capacity can be considered negligible due to the correlation between this seasonal predictor and those reflecting environmental conditions. This could mean that developmental constraints linked to seasonal changes (Kivelä et al., ) would have a minor influence in dung removal rates in tropical forests, and that the seasonal variation in these rates (Amézquita & Favila, ) is mainly related to the associated environmental and temperature changes (Hernández & Vaz‐de‐Mello, ; da Silva et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in dung removal by dung beetles in subtropical Atlantic Rainforests

Amore

Silva

Hensen

et al. 2018

Entomologia Exp Applicata

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Dung consumption and removal is a fundamental ecological process carried out by dung beetles that drive soil nutrient cycling and associated ecosystem services. In this study, the removal rate of small droppings by dung beetles was estimated in natural subtropical rainforests of southern Brazil located along an elevational gradient, in order to understand the factors influencing variation in dung removal. To do that, the comparative explanatory capacity of three main types of variables was quantified: assemblage characteristics, local climatic and habitat conditions, and seasonal variation. The complete disappearance of dung within 48 h after deposition occurs in 73% of occasions. The highest explanatory capacity correspond to the combined effects of the three types of variables; however, average air temperature during the sampling period, total volume of dung beetles collected in the traps in which dung removal was measured, and the seasonal transition from summer to winter were the most important and representative predictors of dung removal. Thus, the dung nutrient incorporation into the soil will most likely be greater during spring‐summer conditions, when the air temperature at the time of dung deposition is high and the biomass of the dung beetle assemblage is bigger.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in dung removal by dung beetles in subtropical Atlantic Rainforests

Amore

Silva

Hensen

et al. 2018

Entomologia Exp Applicata

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Besides differences in dispersal ability, several species of dung beetles are associated with certain habitat types [35], [46], [47], [87]–[91] due to microclimatic factors [84] or resource availability [31]. Data on differences in dispersal ability in the species sampled in this study are still lacking.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The samplings were carried out during the summer of 2012 (January and February), because of high temperatures, and it being the period of greatest dung beetle abundance in subtropical regions in Brazil [46], [47]. Due to the spatial configuration of our sampling design, the large distance among the four areas, and the effect of spatial discontinuity between mainland-island, the sampling sites showed a hierarchical distribution.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local and Regional Effects on Community Structure of Dung Beetles in a Mainland-Island Scenario

Silva

Hernández

2014

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the ecological mechanisms driving beta diversity is a major goal of community ecology. Metacommunity theory brings new ways of thinking about the structure of local communities, including processes occurring at different spatial scales. In addition to new theories, new methods have been developed which allow the partitioning of individual and shared contributions of environmental and spatial effects, as well as identification of species and sites that have importance in the generation of beta diversity along ecological gradients. We analyzed the spatial distribution of dung beetle communities in areas of Atlantic Forest in a mainland-island scenario in southern Brazil, with the objective of identifying the mechanisms driving composition, abundance and biomass at three spatial scales (mainland-island, areas and sites). We sampled 20 sites across four large areas, two on the mainland and two on the island. The distribution of our sampling sites was hierarchical and areas are isolated. We used standardized protocols to assess environmental heterogeneity and sample dung beetles. We used spatial eigenfunctions analysis to generate the spatial patterns of sampling points. Environmental heterogeneity showed strong variation among sites and a mild increase with increasing spatial scale. The analysis of diversity partitioning showed an increase in beta diversity with increasing spatial scale. Variation partitioning based on environmental and spatial variables suggests that environmental heterogeneity is the most important driver of beta diversity at the local scale. The spatial effects were significant only at larger spatial scales. Our study presents a case where environmental heterogeneity seems to be the main factor structuring communities at smaller scales, while spatial effects are more important at larger scales. The increase in beta diversity that occurs at larger scales seems to be the result of limitation in species dispersal ability due to habitat fragmentation and the presence of geographical barriers.

show abstract

“…Only one of the selected species remains unidentified ( Homocopris sp. nov.) because it belongs to a genus recently ratified (Vaz-de Mello, Génier & Smith, 2010) and under a review process, which approximately may contain eight species (Silva, Vaz-de Mello & Di Mare, 2011). According to the taxonomic authority of this genus (Fernando Zagury Vaz-de-Mello) all the collected specimens of Homocopris correspond to the same species, which will be described in the near future.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exoskeleton may influence the internal body temperatures of Neotropical dung beetles (Col. Scarabaeinae)

Amore

Hernández

Carrascal

et al. 2017

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The insect exoskeleton is a multifunctional coat with a continuum of mechanical and structural properties constituting the barrier between electromagnetic waves and the internal body parts. This paper examines the ability of beetle exoskeleton to regulate internal body temperature considering its thermal permeability or isolation to simulated solar irradiance and infrared radiation. Seven Neotropical species of dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeinae) differing in colour, surface sculptures, size, sexual dimorphism, period of activity, guild category and altitudinal distribution were studied. Specimens were repeatedly subjected to heating trials under simulated solar irradiance and infrared radiation using a halogen neodymium bulb light with a balanced daylight spectrum and a ceramic infrared heat emitter. The volume of exoskeleton and its weight per volume unit were significantly more important for the heating rate at the beginning of the heating process than for the asymptotic maximum temperature reached at the end of the trials: larger beetles with relatively thicker exoskeletons heated more slowly. The source of radiation greatly influences the asymptotic temperature reached, but has a negligible effect in determining the rate of heat gain by beetles: they reached higher temperatures under artificial sunlight than under infrared radiation. Interspecific differences were negligible in the heating rate but had a large magnitude effect on the asymptotic temperature, only detectable under simulated sun irradiance. The fact that sun irradiance is differentially absorbed dorsally and transformed into heat among species opens the possibility that differences in dorsal exoskeleton would facilitate the heat gain under restrictive environmental temperatures below the preferred ones. The findings provided by this study support the important role played by the exoskeleton in the heating process of beetles, a cuticle able to act passively in the thermal control of body temperature without implying energetic costs and metabolic changes.

show abstract

Diversity and seasonality of Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in forest fragments in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Cited by 45 publications

References 62 publications

Variation in dung removal by dung beetles in subtropical Atlantic Rainforests

Variation in dung removal by dung beetles in subtropical Atlantic Rainforests

Local and Regional Effects on Community Structure of Dung Beetles in a Mainland-Island Scenario

Exoskeleton may influence the internal body temperatures of Neotropical dung beetles (Col. Scarabaeinae)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About