Abstract
We tested the following hypotheses on the dynamics of a dung beetle community in a Brazilian Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest: (1) successional changes of dung beetle community, with species composition, richness and overall abundance increasing with the successional stages; (2) dung beetle community changes between dry and wet seasons, with species composition, richness and abundance decreasing in the dry season. Dung beetles were sampled in 15 plots from three different successional stages in both wet and dry seasons. We sampled a total of 2,752 individuals, representing 38 beetle species and 14 genera. The composition, richness, and abundance of dung beetles changed along the successional gradient and was strongly related to seasonal variation. The highest diversity of dung beetles was found in the intermediate aged forest fragments. These findings highlight the importance of secondary forests to biodiversity conservation and restoration programs in seasonally dry tropical
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