Habitat type and seasonal variation in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) community structure in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14808/sci.plena.2025.032401

Keywords:

dung removal, seeds dispersal, seasonality

Abstract

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) feed on decomposing animal carcasses and mainly on dung that are also used for building their nests. This study aims to estimate the dung beetles ecosystems services in relation to dung removal and to secondary seed dispersal, as well as to characterize the beetles community based on richness, abundance, species composition and functional guilds, and verify how these ecological indicators are influenced by the habitat type and by the seasonal variation (dry and rainy season). The dung removal rate was only affected by the seasonal variation and was higher during the dry season. The seed dispersal presented a positive relation with the proportion of the dung removal. The richness and abundance of dung beetles were greater during the dry season; however, these indicators were not influenced by habitat types. The forest patch and pasture area only differed in relation to composition of species but the number of represented species of each functional guild did not vary significantly between the habitats. This study emphasizes the functional importance of dung beetles in ecosystems through their efficient development of primary (dung removal) and secondary (seed dispersal) ecosystem functions.

Key-words: Richness, abundance, dung removal, seeds dispersal, seasonality.

Author Biographies

Mariana Fagundes dos Santos, Instituto Federal de Sergipe

Agroécologa (IFS); Pós-graduação em Zoologia (FAMEESP)

Arleu Barbosa Viana-Júnior, Universidade Estadual da Paraiba

Graduação em Ciências Biológicas Licenciatura Plena (Universidade Tiradentes-Sergipe), Mestre (Universidade Federal de Sergipe) e Doutor (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) em Ecologia e Conservação.

Talita Guimarães Araújo, Instituto Federal de Sergipe

Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Bacharelado) pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (2008) ,licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (2014), mestrado em Ecologia e Conservação pela Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (2013) e atualmente é Doutoranda do Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Universidade Federal de Sergipe.

Agripino Emanuel Oliveira Alves, Universidade Federal de Alagoas

Graduação de Tecnologia em Agroecologia pelo Instituto Federal de Sergipe (2016). Mestre em Tecnologias Ambientais, pelo Instituto Federal de Alagoas/Campus Marechal Deodoro. Doutorando em Proteção de Plantas/Entomologia (UFAL/CECA).

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Published

2025-04-21

How to Cite

Dantas, J. O., Santos, M. F. dos ., Viana-Júnior, A. B., Araújo, T. G. ., Alves, A. E. O., & Dias, D. de M. (2025). Habitat type and seasonal variation in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) community structure in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Scientia Plena, 21(3). https://doi.org/10.14808/sci.plena.2025.032401

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 3 (2025): Março/March 2025

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 José Oliveira Dantas, Mariana Fagundes dos Santos, Arleu Barbosa Viana-Júnior, Talita Guimarães Araújo, Agripino Emanuel Oliveira Alves, Douglas de Matos Dias

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