Abstract
Here we examine assemblage structure of coprophagous Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) in the Pantanal of the state of Mato Grosso with respect to flooding regimes, soil texture, leaf litter volume and tree dominance in native and exotic pastures. Samples were collected along 30 transects of 250 m in length in a 5×5 km grid (25 km2). Five pitfalls baited with human feces were placed in each transect. A total of 1692 individuals in 19 species were captured, the majority in the subfamily Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae. Assemblages were influenced by the duration of flooding and leaf litter volume. None of the other habitat variables was correlated with species richness. Cultivated pastures with exotic grasses were unimportant for composition of the assemblages of beetles. These results indicate that duration of flooding is the most important regulating force in this community.
Highlights
Areas that are subject to periodic flooding are classified with respect to amplitude, frequency, predictability and force of flooding, all of which can be quite variable (Junk, 1997; Junk et al, 2011)
We measured duration of inundation, herbaceous cover, tree dominance, leaf litter volume and soil texture clay (g kg–1) following (Magnusson et al, 2005). These data are available at the “Padrões de Biodiversidade em Meso-escala, dos Diferentes Sistemas Pastoris do Pantanal de Mato Grosso (BIOPAN)”, of the “Núcleo de Estudos do Pantanal (NEPA) of the Federal University of Mato Grosso” and the Center for Research in the Pantanal (CPP)
Dung beetles in the Pantanal are apparently generalists and all species can be found over wide gradients of environmental conditions
Summary
Areas that are subject to periodic flooding are classified with respect to amplitude, frequency, predictability and force of flooding, all of which can be quite variable (Junk, 1997; Junk et al, 2011). Environmental influence on Scarabaeidae in the Pantanal (Junk et al, 1989) that in turn favor different assemblages of organisms and, influence local biodiversity (Cunha and Junk, 2011). The theory of flood pulses establishes relationships between the physical environment and the many interactions between terrestrial and aquatic compartments of the flooded areas, thereby influencing local geomorphology and landscape structure (Junk et al, 1989; Adis and Junk, 2002; Junk and Welcomme, 1990)
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