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Influence of land use on the taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina

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Abstract

The degradation and replacement of native ecosystems affects both their taxonomic and functional biodiversity. However, native species may find a gradient of habitat suitability in different land uses within a region. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of land use on the taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetle assemblages in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina. Dung beetles were sampled in both the native forest (control) and different land uses (Pine and Yerba mate plantations and cattle pastures) during the 2014 summer, using pitfall traps baited with human feces and rotten meat. Samplings were taken from 20 different sites, with five replicates of each land use and the native forest (100 pitfall traps in total). A total of 1699 beetles of 27 species were captured. Canthon quinquemaculatus, Canthon conformis and Dichotomius sericeus were the most abundant species. Cattle pastures were the land use most negatively affected in their taxonomic and functional diversity, particularly large paracoprid dung beetles. Pine plantations maintained their taxonomic and functional diversity in relation to the native forest and Yerba mate plantations showed, in general, an intermediate situation. Microclimatic conditions (average temperature and humidity and maximum temperature) were correlated with functional diversity (the proportion of large paracoprid dung beetles decreased with increasing temperature) and are probably good predictors to explain the observed patterns of functional diversity of dung beetles. The development of sustainable production systems that preserve the native biodiversity requires the conservation of key components from the ecological niche of native species, especially microclimatic conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Fernando Vaz-de-Mello and Jose Ramón Verdú for helping us to examine the taxonomic component in the identification of dung beetles. Financial support was provided by the CONICET, the UCAR-MAGyP (BIO 23 and PIA 10105) and the ANPCyT (PICT-PRH 2702). The Misiones Ministry of Ecology provided the necessary permissions for the collection of dung beetles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones– CONICET, Moisés Bertoni 85, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina

    Andrés Gómez-Cifuentes, Ana Munevar, Victoria C. Gimenez, M. Genoveva Gatti & G. A. Zurita

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Moisés Bertoni 124, 3380, Eldorado, Misiones, Argentina

    M. Genoveva Gatti & G. A. Zurita

Authors
  1. Andrés Gómez-Cifuentes
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  2. Ana Munevar
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  3. Victoria C. Gimenez
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  4. M. Genoveva Gatti
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  5. G. A. Zurita
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrés Gómez-Cifuentes.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

See Table 5.

Site

Location

Latitude

Longitude

Area (ha)

Forest

Gobernador Lanusse

25°59′34.47″S

54°18′5.37″W

16

Forest

Esperanza Centro

25°59′28.10″S

54°30′19.25″W

10

Forest

Esperanza Centro

26°1′8.56″S

54°30′42.93″W

13

Forest

Santiago de Liniers

26°21′37.83″S

54°23′24.19″W

10

Forest

Montecarlo

26°36′56.93″S

54°41′43.40″W

5

Pine

Esperanza Centro

25°59′49.77″S

54°30′18.63″W

17

Pine

Gobernador Lanusse

25°58′30.07″S

54°17′58.32″W

10

Pine

Eldorado

26°25′14.25″S

54°36′51.85″W

4

Pine

Santiago de Liniers

26°20′38.65″S

54°21′26.72″W

8

Yerba mate

Gobernador Lanusse

25°59′30.13″S

54°18′19.53″W

6

Yerba mate

Esperanza Centro

25°59′36.39″S

54°30′19.20″W

4

Yerba mate

Santiago de Liniers

26°21′44.26″S

54°23′33.46″W

5

Yerba mate

Montecarlo

26°36′27.46″S

54°41′46.19″W

6

Yerba mate

Esperanza Centro

25°59′26.50″S

54°29′31.61″W

6

Pasture

Gobernador Lanusse

25°59′39.34″S

54°18′19.64″W

17

Pasture

Gobernador Lanusse

25°58′16.55″S

54°17′24.26″W

10

Pasture

Esperanza Centro

26°0′31.89″S

54°30′24.50″W

9

Pasture

Santiago de Liniers

26°20′37.29″S

54°21′35.58″W

4

Pasture

Montecarlo

26°36′46.00″S

54°41′24.81″W

5

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Gómez-Cifuentes, A., Munevar, A., Gimenez, V.C. et al. Influence of land use on the taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina. J Insect Conserv 21, 147–156 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-017-9964-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-017-9964-4

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