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Abrupt species loss of the Amazonian dung beetle in pastures adjacent to species-rich forests

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Abstract

Anthropogenic disturbances, such as conversion of forests to pastures, are considered one of the major causes of Amazonian biodiversity loss. Pastures are hostile environments for forest species that are not adapted to the adverse conditions of open areas. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of forest replacement by cattle pastures in the north-eastern part of the Amazonian rainforest using dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) as indicators. Therefore, we determined edge effects and differences in dung beetle species richness, composition, and abundance between forest and neighbouring cattle pastures. A total of 6723 individuals of 63 species of dung beetle were collected. In comparison to forests, adjacent pastures were sharply less rich and abundant in dung beetles. The forests had 6604 individuals and 59 species, while the pastures had 119 individuals and 12 species. The replacement of forests by pastures results in an increase of dung beetle species turnover. Only 12% of dung beetle species were shared by both forest and pasture environments. We highlight that most Amazonian dung beetles are forest species sensitive to abrupt human-driven modification of habitats and are only moderately affected by edge effects.

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Acknowledgements

We thank to the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Mato Grosso for financial support (FAPEMAT - 756935/2011). FZVM is a CNPq fellow and part of this work were funded by CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – 304925/2010-1, 302997/2013-0, 405697/2013-9, 484035/2013-4, 202327/2013-2, 202327/2013-2) and FAPEMAT/CNPq/PRONEM (568005/2014).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Zoologia, CPEDA, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Rodovia MT - 358, Km 07, Jardim Aeroporto, Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, 78300-000, Brazil

    Ricardo J. Silva & Tatiane D. Pelissari

  2. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Rodovia MT - 358, Km 07, Jardim Aeroporto, Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, 78300-000, Brazil

    Diones Krinski

  3. Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Humanas e Sociais, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Av. Alexandre Ferronato -1200. Setor Industrial, Sinop, Mato Grosso, 78557267, Brazil

    Gustavo Canale

  4. Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367. Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, 78060-900, Brazil

    Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello

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  1. Ricardo J. Silva
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Correspondence to Ricardo J. Silva.

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Silva, R.J., Pelissari, T.D., Krinski, D. et al. Abrupt species loss of the Amazonian dung beetle in pastures adjacent to species-rich forests. J Insect Conserv 21, 487–494 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-017-9988-9

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