Abstract
espanolEstudiamos la riqueza y la estructura de la comunidad de escarabeoideos coprofagos en dos pastizales (Hrastovlje y Zazid) en la zona submediterranea de Eslovenia. En cada pastizal, analizamos tres fragmentos caracterizados por diferentes grados de pastoreo (S1, la zona activa de pastoreo; S2, la zona de crecimiento del pasto, principalmente arbustos espinosos; y S3, una pradera con algunos fragmentos arbustivos con crecimiento fuera del pastizal vallado). Los resultados principales fueron los siguientes: (1) se muestrearon 29 especies que correspondian aproximadamente a tres cuartas partes de las especies previsiblemente presentes en los dos sitios de estudio; (2) la riqueza y la abundancia de especies en Zazid fueron parecidas en los tres fragmentos; y (3) la riqueza y la abundancia de especies en Hrastovlje (en total y los residentes y los cavadores por separado) fueron mas elevadas en S2. En Hrastovlje, los residentes fueron mas abundantes en S1. Como se constato que ambos fragmentos de habitat influian positivamente en la comunidad de coleopteros coprofagos, recomendamos mantener un territorio en mosaico gestionado de forma tradicional. EnglishWe studied the richness and structure of the coprophagous Scarabaeoidea community in two pastures (Hrastovlje and Zazid) in sub–Mediterranean Slovenia. In each pasture, we examined three habitat patches characterised by different levels of grazing (S1, the active part of the pasture; S2, the overgrown part of the pasture, mainly spiny shrubs; S3, a meadow with some overgrown patches of shrubs outside the fenced pasture). The main results were as follows: (1) 29 species were sampled, corresponding to about three quarters of the species presumably present at the two study sites; (2) species richness and abundance in Zazid are were similar in all three patches; (3) the species richness and abundance in Hrastovlje (in total, and separately for dwellers and tunnelers) were highest in S2. In Hrastovlje, dwellers were most abundant in S1. As the two different habitat patches were shown to positively influence the dung beetle community, we recommend maintaining a traditionally–managed mosaic landscape.
Highlights
Within the topographically diverse Mediterranean Basin (S Europe) lying at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa, grasslands and shrublands support exceptionally high biodiversity (Lumaret and Kirk, 1991; Verdú et al, 2000; Allen, 2003)
We identified 29 species of Scarabaeoidea belonging to all four groups from the three guilds (Aphodiidae–dwellers: 12 species, Geotrupidae–tunnelers: 2 species, Scarabaeidae–tunnelers: 14 species, Scarabaeidae–rollers: 1 species)
This corresponds to ca. 25 % of known Slovenian species belonging to these three families
Summary
Within the topographically diverse Mediterranean Basin (S Europe) lying at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa (cf. Blondel, 2006; Blondel et al, 2010; Christodolou et al, 2016), grasslands (e.g. meadows, pastures) and shrublands support exceptionally high biodiversity (Lumaret and Kirk, 1991; Verdú et al, 2000; Allen, 2003). Two main associations can be found there: the association Carici–Centaureetum in pastures and the association Dianthonio–Scorzeneretum in meadows (Kaligarič, 2005). These grasslands are the result of past human activities (Kaligarič, 2005; Stergaršek, 2009) that strongly influenced the layout and biodiversity of the landscape. Many turned into overgrown areas (shrublands and later pioneer forests: Jugovic et al, 2013a) after traditional extensive agricultural practices were abandoned (Zeiler, 2000; Stefanescu et al, 2004). In the Mediterranean, the maintenance of open (meadows, pastures) and semi–open (shrubland) habitats ceased with the abandonment of traditional agricultural practices (extensive grazing and occasional extensive mowing: see Jogan et al, 2004; Kaligarič, 2005). A dense network of suitable habitats is crucial to maintain metapopulations and enable dispersal of animals inhabiting the remaining open spaces (cf. Anthes et al, 2003; Bergman and Landin, 2001; Mousson et al, 1999; Polus et al, 2007; Thomas et al, 1992)
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