ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, and is currently highly fragmented and disturbed due to human activities. Variation in environmental conditions in the Atlantic Forest can influence the distribution of species, which may show associations with some environmental features. Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) are insects that act in nutrient cycling via organic matter decomposition and have been used for monitoring environmental changes. The aim of this study is to identify associations between the spatial distribution of dung beetle species and Atlantic Forest structure. The spatial distribution of some dung beetle species was associated with structural forest features. The number of species among the sampling sites ranged widely, and few species were found in all remnant areas. Principal coordinates analysis indicated that species composition, abundance and biomass showed a spatially structured distribution, and these results were corroborated by permutational multivariate analysis of variance. The indicator value index and redundancy analysis showed an association of several dung beetle species with some explanatory environmental variables related to Atlantic Forest structure. This work demonstrated the existence of a spatially structured distribution of dung beetles, with significant associations between several species and forest structure in Atlantic Forest remnants from Southern Brazil.
ABSTRACT
Este trabalho apresenta um levantamento das espécies de Scarabaeinae de uma área de campo nativo no município de Bagé, estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. As coletas foram realizadas com armadilhas de interceptação de voo e armadilhas de queda iscadas com fezes humanas, banana em decomposição e carne apodrecida, entre os meses de dezembro de 2005 e novembro de 2006. Foram capturados 4.573 indivíduos pertencentes a 14 gêneros e 30 espécies. Onthophagus aff. hirculus Mannerheim, 1829, Canthon podagricus Harold, 1868, Ontherus sulcator (Fabricius, 1775) e Canthidium moestum Harold, 1867 foram as espécies mais abundantes. A maior parte da assembleia capturada é constituída por espécies coprófagas e generalistas preferencialmente necrófagas. Poucas espécies foram estritamente necrófagas e nenhuma foi classificada como saprófaga. As roladoras e as escavadoras foram representadas por números similares de espécies.
This work presents a survey of Scarabaeinae species from a natural grassland area in Bagé, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samplings were carried out with flight intercept traps and pitfall traps baited with human feces, rotten banana and rotten meat, from December 2005 to November 2006. A total of 4,573 individuals, belonging to 14 genera and 30 species were collected. Onthophagus aff. hirculus Mannerheim, 1829, Canthon podagricus Harold, 1868, Ontherus sulcator (Fabricius, 1775) and Canthidium moestum Harold, 1867 were the most abundant species. Most of the captured assemblage is composed by species coprophagous and generalists preferably necrophagous. Few species were strictly necrophagous and none was classified as saprophagous. The rollers and tunnelers were represented by similar numbers of species.
ABSTRACT
Apresenta-se um guia de identificação das espécies de Scarabaeinae ocorrentes em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, arroladas da literatura e capturadas entre maio de 2009 a abril de 2010 em fragmentos florestais. São fornecidas chave dicotômica, caracterização, ilustrações (das espécies coletadas) e informações ecológicas para 35 espécies.
Here is presented a guide to identify the species of Scarabaeinae occurring in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, compiled from the literature and captured between May 2009 and April 2010 in forest fragments. A dichotomous key, characterization, illustrations (species collected) and ecological information for 35 species are provided.