Spatiotemporal patterns of taxonomic and functional β‐diversity of dung beetles in native and introduced pastures in the Brazilian Pantanal

Abstract

AbstractAnthropogenic activity, such as conversion and degradation of habitats, is causing global biodiversity declines. However, our understanding of how local ecological communities are responding to these changes taxonomically and functionally is still limited. The effects of the replacement of native by introduced pastures on biodiversity are some of those examples with limited understanding. Here, we sampled dung beetles in native and introduced pastures using standardised sampling protocols during the dry and rainy seasons in the Brazilian Pantanal. We used multifaceted β‐diversity partitioning of taxonomy‐, abundance‐ and trait‐based approaches to evaluate spatial (i.e. between pasture types) and temporal (i.e. between seasons) patterns of dung beetle changes in composition, abundance and species traits. Spatially, we found no effects of pasture type, season and their interaction on taxonomy‐based β‐diversity and its components. For abundance‐based β‐diversity and its components, pasture type had effects on both Bray‐Curtis dissimilarity and balanced variation in abundance. Higher values of both metrics were found in native pastures. For functional‐based β‐diversity, Sorensen dissimilarity with higher values in the dry season, while pasture type also had an effect on functional nestedness, where higher values of functional nestedness were found in introduced pastures. Seasonally, we also found no effects of pasture type, season and their interaction on taxonomy‐based β‐diversity and its components. However, pasture type had effects on Bray‐Curtis dissimilarity, with higher values found in introduced pastures. No effects on balanced variation in abundance and abundance gradients were found. Pasture type influenced the functional turnover, but not functional dissimilarity or nestedness. Higher values of functional turnover were found in native pastures. In summary, we demonstrate that the type of pastures and climatic seasonality have effects on abundance‐ and functional‐ but not on taxonomy‐based β‐diversity patterns of dung beetles in the Brazilian Pantanal.