Open Pasture Research Articles

The Emergence of Rift Valley Fever in Gedaref State Urges the Need for a Cross-Border One Health Strategy and Enforcement of the International Health Regulations.

This study investigated the causative agent of a haemorrhagic fever epidemic in Gedaref state, south-east Sudan. Six cases of febrile illness with haemorrhagic manifestations presented at outpatient health-clinics. Blood samples were collected from the patients and shipped to Khartoum where they were tested for dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) using real-time qPCR. Fifty percent (3/6) of them tested positive for RVFV and neither DENV or CHIKV was detected. All patients were males between 20 and 48 years old who had no history of recent travel. This finding describes the first emergence of RVFV in Gedaref state. Considering that the state hosts a major market of livestock, and it has one of the largest-seasonal open pastures in the country that is usually flooded with herds from the neighbouring states and countries during the rainy season, this emergence could represent a major threat to public health in the region and countries importing animals and/or animal products from east Africa. Therefore, we urge the policymakers of the health and animal resources sectors to implement a one health strategy with a well-established early warning surveillance and response system to prevent the establishment of the disease in the area.

Herbage Yield, Lamb Growth and Foraging Behavior in Agrivoltaic Production System

Agrivoltaic systems are designed to mutually benefit solar energy and agricultural production in the same location for dual-use of land. This study was conducted to compare lamb growth and pasture production from solar pastures in agrivoltaic systems and traditional open pastures over 2 years in Oregon. Weaned Polypay lambs grew at 120 and 119 g head−1 d−1 in solar and open pastures, respectively in spring 2019 (P = 0.90). The liveweight production between solar (1.5 kg ha−1 d−1) and open pastures (1.3 kg ha−1 d−1) were comparable (P = 0.67). Similarly, lamb liveweight gains and liveweight productions were comparable in both solar (89 g head−1 d−1; 4.6 kg ha−1 d−1) and open (92 g head−1 d−1; 5.0 kg ha−1 d−1) pastures (all P > 0.05) in 2020. The daily water consumption of the lambs in spring 2019 were similar during early spring, but lambs in open pastures consumed 0.72 L head−1 d−1 more water than those grazed under solar panels in the late spring period (P < 0.01). No difference was observed in water intake of the lambs in spring 2020 (P = 0.42). Over the entire period, solar pastures produced 38% lower herbage than open pastures due to low pasture density in fully shaded areas under solar panels. The results from our grazing study indicated that lower herbage mass available in solar pastures was offset by higher forage quality, resulting in similar spring lamb production to open pastures. Our findings also suggest that the land productivity could be greatly increased through combining sheep grazing and solar energy production on the same land in agrivoltaics systems.

Accelerating tropical cloud forest recovery: Performance of nine late-successional tree species

Tree planting is a common strategy for forest restoration. The use of mid- and late-successional species is less common, but could accelerate succession, enhance diversity and secure their presence. In this study, we determined the survival and growth of 559 saplings from nine native mid- and late-successional species after three years of growth under a range of habitat conditions to evaluate their potential utility in restoration plantings. Since mid- and late-successional tree species have shade-tolerant attributes and the light environment is a determinant factor for their growth and survival, we expected sapling performance to vary among species depending on the percentage of canopy cover and on factors associated with this variable. For this, we identified habitat conditions that influenced sapling performance in a degraded tropical cloud forest: the conditions ranged from closed-canopy secondary forest to open pastures dominated by exotic grasses. Overall, the studied species presented a high performance: sapling survival (40 to 90%) and relative growth rates in height (0.14 to 0.50 cm cm−1 year−1) and in diameter (0.04 to 0.50 mm mm−1 year−1) were within or above the ranges previously reported for cloud forest species. The final sizes and growth rates in height and diameter were mostly explained by the canopy and grass cover (71.5% of the variation). Integrated Response Index (IRI) values showed wide variation among species (from 6.44 to 41.41 with inclusion of height, and from 2.13 to 44.77 with inclusion of diameter). In general, there was a negative correlation between canopy cover and final sapling size and growth rates in height and diameter, but there were important variations among species. Based on their IRI values, species such as Ulmus mexicana and Oreomunnea mexicana are suggested for restoration plantings. Given their low performance, however, Fraxinu uhdei and Juglans pyriformis are recommended for use only in advanced forest successional stages or in conjunction with other restoration techniques to increase their survival. Our results show that these threatened mid- and late-successional native species can be successfully matched to microsite conditions and established in degraded areas as a strategy by which to secure their presence and accelerate forest recovery.

Uso da espectroscopia de infravermelho próximo com Transformada de Fourier (FT-NIR) para acompanhar o processo de Tristeza Parasitária Bovina / Use of near-infrared spectroscopy with Fourier Transform (FT-NIR) to accompany the Bovine Parasitic Sadness process

Cattle are animals that stay in the herd for a large period of the day in the open air pasture. This daily routine leaves them exposed and susceptible to infectious diseases. One of them is the Bovine Parasitic Sadness which is considered one of the greatest cattle health problems due its high rate of mortality and morbidity. In this work preliminary results are presented from calf inoculated with anaplasmosis. Blood samples were collected and analyzed through Fourier Transform Near Infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR). The animal was monitored for 60 days until its recovery. This exploratory work shows the potentiality of the FT-NIR in the detection, follow-up and recovery of the anaplasmosis. The possibility of prevention of this disease in the herd via a fast optical analysis may bring a great breakthrough in disease control in dairy and beef cattle.

Benefits of Silvopastoral Systems for Keeping Beef Cattle.

Simple SummarySilvopastoral Systems (SPS) are agroforestry arrangements that combine forage grasses with shrubs and trees for animal nutrition and complementary uses. Their contribution to sustainable livestock production and animal welfare is well recognized, mainly with Zebu cattle in tropical regions. In order to obtain information in temperate climate zones, 130 beef cattle of European breeds were selected from four commercial herds and randomly allocated to two contiguous plots: SPS and Open Pastures Systems (OPS). The trees in the SPS were Eucalyptus globulus globulus for paper pulp production. They were planted with two meters between each tree over native, diverse grasses. Over the course of one year, individual body weights and animal welfare indicators were collected every 45 days. There were no differences observed in weight gain between the two systems. No sign of impaired welfare, such as lameness, integument alterations, coughing, nasal/ocular discharge, or hampered respiration, was observed in either system. Silvopastoral systems offer animals a sustainable and richer environment, which will improve their welfare. The additional income provided by the wood production allows the farmers to maintain their traditional cattle farming lifestyle.The potential benefits of keeping Zebu cattle in silvopastoral systems are well described in tropical regions. In order to obtain information on European breeds of beef cattle (Bos taurus taurus) in temperate climate zones, individual records of body weight and welfare indicators were obtained from 130 beef cattle. These belonged to four herds and were randomly allocated to two contiguous plots: Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) and Open Pastures Systems (OPS). The SPS in this study were areas with exotic trees of Eucalyptus globulus globulus for paper pulp production planted in a 2 × 2 design (two meters between each tree) over diverse, native grasses. The OPS were large open areas with a great diversity of native grasses, herbs, and small plots of trees where the animals could rest and shelter from extreme weather conditions. Over the course of one year, individual body weights and a number of specific animal welfare indicators were measured every 45 days. After a descriptive analysis, a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with a Gaussian distribution, with time and system (OPS or SPS) fitted as fixed effects and individuals nested by herd as random intercepts, was used. The results showed that weight gain did not differ between the two systems. None of the animals showed any sign of impaired welfare in either system over the study period. Silvopastoral systems offer animals a sustainable and richer environment that will improves their welfare. The additional income provided by the wood production allows the farmers to maintain their traditional cattle farming lifestyle.

Pasture and animal production in silvopastoral and open pasture systems managed with crossbred dairy heifers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the pasture traits and performance of crossbreed dairy heifers in a silvopastoral system (SPS) and open pasture (OP) of Urochloa decumbens, after 14-years of management. In the SPS, an average reduction of 46% in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was calculated in relation to the OP. Experimental design was a randomized complete block, with three replications and two treatments (SPS and OP), evaluated in two seasons (summer and autumn), during three years. The paddocks were managed under continuous stocking with Holstein × Gyr heifers. The herbage mass was greater in OP, but a greater leaf and lower dead material percentages were observed in the SPS. The OP had higher tiller population than SPS only in the first year. The herbage accumulation was higher in the OP during autumn; however during summer only a trend was observed. The crude protein content was greatest in SPS, while the fiber constituents and forage digestibility did not vary with system. The stocking rate was greater in OP in the second year and similar between systems in the other years. Average daily gains were similar between systems, regardless of season and experimental year, while the OP showed a greater gain per area in the third experimental year. Despite of the difference in some variables, after 14–16 years of establishment, it was observed only a small decrease in the animal productive per area in SPS in the last year, in relation to OP, which indicates a high resilience of SPS, even under intense shading.

Freezing temperatures restrict woody plant recruitment and restoration efforts in abandoned montane pastures

Tropical montane forests are being lost at an alarming rate but harbor some of the globe’s most unique biodiversity. The Hawaiian archipelago is a prime example of the importance of high elevation forests to species conservation and persistence as they serve as the last refugia for Hawaiian birds. Yet these forests have been converted to invasive dominated pastures, and efforts to restore them have been met with limited success. Unsuccessful forest restoration may be due to freezing temperatures acting as a demographic bottleneck by killing seedlings recruiting into pastures. We determined freezing tolerances of eight common native woody plants at a high-elevation forest on Hawaiʻi Island and compared these freezing tolerances to two years of site-specific winter temperatures and 17 years of regional temperature records. Low temperature extremes were more severe and common in pastures than under nearby 30-year-old canopy trees. Freezing temperatures over two years were severe enough to damage leaf tissues of six of eight species tested. Those species that displayed the greatest freezing tolerance were also those found naturally recruiting into open pastures. Temperature trends over the past 17 years show monthly minimum temperatures are not increasing as predicted by climate change. Persistent severe freezing events may limit seedling recruitment in the pasture, slowing native woody plant expansion into these abandoned pastures. The species-level differences in freezing tolerance show that current management actions are using species that are at high risk to freezing damage outside of the forest canopy and that alternative species may warrant consideration.

Herbage accumulation, canopy structure and tiller morphology of marandu palisadegrass growing in open pasture and in silvopasture

Silvopasture is an alternative to open pasture (OP), but the effect of trees on understory grass canopy structure and tiller morphology is not well defined. Our objective was to compare herbage accumulation, canopy structure, and tiller morphology of Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf. cv. Marandu (palisadegrass) growing in OP or in silvopasture with Eucalyptus urograndis (hybrid of E. grandis W. Hill ex Maiden and E. urophylla S. T. Blake), in the Amazon biome. From October 2015 to September 2016, all experimental units were stocked continuously with beef cattle using a variable stocking rate to maintain a palisadegrass canopy height of 30 cm. The trees were planted in triple-row groves (3.0 m between trees, 3.5 m between rows), with 30 m between groves, totaling 270 trees ha−1. The herbage accumulation (HA) was similar among systems (averaging 12.1 Mg ha−1 year−1). The silvopasture decreased herbage mass (HM) 24% and herbage bulk density (HBD) by 20% compared with OP. Tiller leaf area was 18% greater in the silvopasture. Total number of leaves (4.95 ± 0.26), and live leaves tiller−1 (3.25 ± 0.14) were not affected by system or system × season interaction. In a silvopasture, palisadegrass maintained leaf area index, number of total, live and dead leaves, tiller weight, internode length and stem length similar to the OP. Under moderate shade, especially at 4-m distance from the edge row of trees, palisadegrass enhanced the area of each leaf while the number of live leaves tiller−1 and tiller density decreased in order to maintain productivity. Silvopasture has potential as an alternative system for livestock production in the Brazilian Amazon Biome.

Традиционный выпас скота на Тамбовщине (рациональный аспект)

The study of the practical aspect of traditional cattle grazing in the Tambov region is based on materials collected in the mid-1990s during field practices carried out by students of the Department of Ethnography and Anthropology of St. Petersburg State University under the supervision of the author of the article. It is quite justified to call the recorded practices “traditional” since breeding and grazing of private livestock by collective farmers did not change significantly even after collectivization. This is confirmed by the pre-revolutionary materials on the tradition of cattle grazing in the Kirsanovsky District (uezd) of Tambov Province cited in the article. This study employs the methods of comparative historical analysis but also take into account the unique features of the natural environment of various parts of the Tambov region. To graze its herd, a community hired a shepherd, made a written contract with him and confirmed it with a drink treat (magarych). The shepherds were usually local or from nearby villages. Each type of animal had its own shepherds. Depending on the size, a herd could have one or two shepherds, who were sometimes assisted by a shepherd boy. Grazing continued from the appearance of fresh grass in spring until the appearance of a permanent snow cover. Over time, the remuneration of shepherds changed from a combination of food and money to a mainly monetary one and shifted from a seasonal to a monthly schedule. Additionally, on certain days, the shepherd had the right to visit the cattle owners in order to get food from them. The shepherd was equipped with a whip and sometimes also had a horn. No information of any other features of his equipment and clothing was gathered. The article presents data on local peculiarities of cattle grazing. The collected materials show that to a certain extent, local differences were determined by the characteristics of the environment. When grazing in the forest, the size of the herd was smaller than on open pastures, sheep and goats were not grazed in the forest, and the shepherd used a horn there to gather animals.

The spiritual description of adults in uzbek children's prose-the place of literary psychologism

The article is about the literary description of adults spiritual world, the psychology of heroes, new innovative methods of personages “thinking and images, the place and ways of psychologism in children's literature. Then his idleness overcame him easily; then” the numbers, letters of his notebook jumped like a cricket in his dreams; he got frustrated because his uncle was brought to his house as his godfather. Women were forced to work with young girls and boys. They went to wide -open pastures to feed their herds of cattle.

Ethology and features of the trophic activity of blood-sucking mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) in the southern taiga of the Tyumen region

In the Tyumen region (Russia), the daily rhythm of mosquitoes’ trophic activity in terms of comparing the number of individuals attacking humans and animals and the distribution of mosquitoes near cattle herds has not been studied before. The research was carried out in the sub-zone of the southern taiga forest zone of the Tyumen region in 2016-2017. The southern taiga has a high level of blood-sucking mosquitoes. In June, under the canopy of the forest, the animals are subjected to a massive round-the-clock attack, but in the daily rhythm of the trophic activity of these insects there are evening (at 23 hours) and morning (at 3-7 hours) rises in numbers. At the end of July, the daily rhythm has a high evening rise in numbers (at 21-23 hours) and a slight morning (at 5-7 hours). In open pastures, mosquito activity is less long and is characterized by one large maximum in the evening. Mosquitoes attacked animals in open areas only at night from 23 to 7 hours. The number of mosquitoes attacking calves in open areas was low and lower than the average of 2.2 ± 0.23 times per person. The nature of the daily rhythm of trophic activity of flying hematophages leaves its mark on the behavior of animals and their preference for certain biotopes on the pasture. With the number of mosquitoes observed during the day in the forest (from 2 to 32 individuals), calves preferred to graze in the open area, even with a high number of horseflies, only periodically hiding in more often shrubbery for a short time. At night, the calves are kept in the paddock, snuggling up to each other, which allows to some extent to limit the number of attacking insects. In the paddock during the night rest of the animals the largest number of mosquitoes (over 66%) flies directly near the calves at an altitude from the ground up to 1.9 meters, but single individuals are found at an altitude of more than 4 meters, a distance of 5-7 meters from calves the number of mosquitoes decreases twice, and 25-30 meters - 4 times. The high concentration of mosquitoes around the animals indicates the advisability of taking protective measures against their attack when keeping calves in open pens on pastures in the evening, when keeping animals at night in premises, treatment with repellents and insecticides should be carried out in the morning before pasture. This will allow to ensure calm and free behavior of animals during grazing and a wider coverage of various pasture biotopes.

Response of dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity to livestock grazing in an arid ecosystem

1. The consequences of cattle raising on biodiversity have been extensively explored in the humid forests; however, its impact in dry forests is less understood. The Dry Chaco is the largest dry forest in South America and deforestation rates in this region are one of the highest in the world. Dung beetles play a key role in cattle dung burial, leading to improved soil quality and reducing parasite incidence. Consequently, sustainable management of cattle should preserve this taxon and associated ecosystem services.2. We compared the taxonomic and functional response of dung beetles to two different livestock managements with different conservation of tree cover (open pastures and silvopastoral systems) in the Dry Chaco.3. Through GLMM analysis, we compared richness, species abundance, taxonomic and functional composition, and three indices of functional diversity between native forest and cattle systems and explored the role of environmental variables to explain changes.4. We captured 2838 individuals of 45 species. Taxonomic and functional richness and functional composition were similar among habitats. Total abundance was greater in the native forest than in silvopastoral systems and pastures. However, functional evenness and dispersion were greater in pastures than in the native forest.5. Previous studies in humid forests showed the strong impact of cattle raising on dung beetle communities; however, the results of this study suggest that in dry forests ranching could have a low impact on native dung beetle diversity; however, reduced population abundance could result in impoverishment of dung beetle communities over time.

Lepus europaeus(Lagomorpha: Leporidae)

AbstractLepus europaeus Pallas, 1778, commonly called the European hare, is one of 32 species of Lepus. It is widely distributed in Europe and Asia where it was not native but introduced by humans for sport. L. europaeus does not burrow, nor hibernate, and gives birth to precocial young (leverets). It prefers open grassland, fields, agricultural farmland, and pastures with hedgerows and bushes. Declining populations in several countries since the 1960s led to increased research to investigate the reasons; L. europaeus is considered threatened in several countries, but of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Tomoh Masaki

Tomoh Masaki

Diversity and resource selection of dung beetles in a relictual mountain forest in Brazil

Most of the tropical ecosystems are now altered, consequently modifying the species diversity, composition and feeding behaviours. Precisely, the survival of species is dependent on their characteristics to endure the novel environments immersed in human-dominated landscapes. Thus, comparative studies of how different community attributes and trophic guilds respond to changes in land use would be useful. In this study, we analyzed diversity, composition and food selection of dung beetles in an Atlantic forest enclave (Ombrophilous forest remnant) from North-eastern Brazil. We sampled dung beetles using 60 pitfall traps distributed in our study region. Diversity and composition were estimated by using Hill numbers (or the effective number of species) and biomass of individuals and were compared among three types of vegetation structure (forest, forest edge and open pastures) and four different types of baits (human, pig, chicken and cattle excrements). We found that diversity measures weighted by biomass allowed better detection of the variation between habitat types and food preference than weighted by the number of individuals. The dung beetle biomass indicates that the spatial dominance of open pastures promote a drastic impoverishment of dung beetle diversity and composition. We also found that β diversity shows an evidence of homogenization on the resource food selection, related with the preference in the attraction of dung beetles to exotic omnivores. Our results show that replacing forests with cattle pastures modifies diversity, species composition, and resource food selection patterns, which could affect the ecosystem provision by dung beetles. Despite our study region is immersed in a human-dominated-landscape, forest remnants continue to hold a high diversity assemblage compared with most degraded environments.

Diversity of coleopterans associated with cattle dung in open pastures and silvopastoral systems in the brazilian amazon

Among the primary beef producers globally, Brazil stands out due to livestock production based on pastures without massive grain dependence. Moreover, the adoption of integrated systems has increased in Brazilian farms in the past few years, reaching significant numbers such as 11.5 million hectares covered by some sort of integration, including silvopastoral systems (SPS). This study aimed to evaluate the diversity of Coleoptera species and dung pats decomposition in an open pasture (OP) of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and in an SPS with Eucalyptus urograndis clone H13. There were no significant differences in dung beetle richness or abundance in OP and SPS, as well as similar rates of dung pats disintegration. Most insects were captured during the rainy season, and richness and diversity of species were similar between systems. The traps' distance to the Eucalyptus rows did not influence the number of dung beetles sampled; however, fewer individuals were captured under the tree rows. We suggest the importance of beetles for cattle dung decomposition and biological control of parasites, eventhough community structure was similar between systems with different habitat complexity.

Dominant shrub species are a strong predictor of plant species diversity along subalpine pasture-shrub transects

Abandonment of pastures and successional shrub expansion are widespread in European mountain regions. Moderate shrub encroachment is perceived beneficial for plant diversity by adding new species without outcompeting existing ones, yet systematic evidence is missing. We surveyed vegetation along 24 transects from open pasture into shrubland across the Swiss Alps using a new protocol distinguishing different spatial scales, shrub cover of each plot (2 × 2 m) and larger-scale zonal cover along the transect. Data were analysed using generalized linear models of shrub cover, shrub species and environmental conditions, such as geology, aspect or soil. Most shrub communities were dominated by Alnus viridis (62% of transects) and Pinus mugo (25%), and the rest by other shrub species (13%). These dominant shrub species explained vegetation response to shrub cover well, without need of environmental variables in the model. Compared to open pasture, A. viridis resulted in an immediate linear decline in plant species richness and a marginal increase in beta-diversity (maximally + 10% at 35% cover). Dense A. viridis hosted 62% less species than open pasture. In P. mugo, species richness remained stable until 40% shrub cover and dropped thereafter; beta-diversity peaked at 35% cover. Hence, scattered P. mugo increases beta-diversity without impairing species richness. In transects dominated by other shrubs, species richness and beta-diversity peaked at 40–60% shrub cover (+ 23% both). A. viridis reduced species richness in a larger area around the shrubs than P. mugo. Therefore, effects of shrub encroachment on plant diversity cannot be generalized and depend on dominant shrub species.

Grazing management strategies for Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R. Webster in a silvopastoral system under rotational stocking

AbstractOur objective was to compare herbage accumulation and nutritive value of Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R. Webster managed under pre‐grazing canopy light interception (LI) targets of 90%, 95% and 100% in silvopastoral system (SPS) and 95% in open pasture (OP; U. decumbens under full sunlight) to establish a pre‐grazing target for SPS of ~43% shade. The evaluations were made during two rainy seasons and one dry season. The total herbage accumulation in SPS was lower than in OP at all LI targets and seasons. However, the difference in total herbage accumulation between SPS and OP was reduced when SPS was harvested at 95% LI, with reductions of 20% and 28% in both rainy seasons (12,191 × 15,324 kg DM/ha and 11,158 × 15,424 kg DM/ha respectively). Moreover, under 95% LI in SPS, crude protein concentration was 18% and 19% greater than that in OP in both rainy seasons (155 × 131 g/kg DM and 144 × 121 g/kg DM respectively), thus representing the optimal pre‐grazing LI target for U. decumbens in SPS. In addition, a canopy height of 20 cm was necessary for 95% LI in OP and a height of 40 cm in SPS. Therefore, U. decumbens should be grazed at 40 cm canopy height, in SPS with ~43% shade to keep 95% LI as the target. However, this target will only be effective if the shade level is maintained, which will reduce height variation over time.

Plant‐available N:P alters root litter N recycling in a Mediterranean tree–grass ecosystem

AbstractBackground: Nitrogen deposition can cause an ecosystem‐level shift in available N (nitrogen) to P (phosphorus) availability. However, most plant N nutrition is from edaphic sources rather than deposition and in seasonally dry grassland systems, root litter is the predominant nutrient source.Aims: We were interested how litter turnover and altered nutrient recycling from dead biomass can compensate for these shifts in ecosystem stoichiometry.Methods: We studied a Mediterranean savanna amended with N or NP treatments three years prior. We measured root and plant‐available soil N:P stoichiometry in two micro‐habitats: open pasture and beneath oak canopies. 15N‐labelled root litter incubated in topsoils without litterbags was used to trace uptake of litter N by herbaceous strata roots.Results: Since fertilization, NP added sites have become relatively P enriched, resulting in lower N:P ratios in living roots than either when N was added alone or control sites. Total litter‐derived 15N uptake by roots was proportional to root ingrowth response but higher in the NP than N treatment, indicating a higher N demand when N and P were added together. We observed more 15N uptake by plants under tree canopies, indicating a tighter nutrient recycling loop in these micro‐habitats in contrast to treatment level ‘fertility' trends.Conclusions: Root stoichiometry responded to manipulated soil nutrient availability and N uptake was altered as plants attempted to compensate for nutrient availability imbalances, indicating that these ecosystem perturbations have long term effects on nutrient cycling which can propagate to whole system function. This was also related to functional community‐level adaptions between micro‐habitats with under canopy communities more able to take advantage of the litter nutrient source.

Canopy cover is a key factor to preserve the ecological functions of dung beetles in the southern Atlantic Forest

In general, livestock activities affect the diversity and ecological functions of dung beetles. However, some practices associated with tree retention could reduce this problem while maintaining productivity. The objective of this study was to explore the influence of canopy cover on dung beetle biomass, their burial activity and changes in soil conditions associated with this activity, in the southern Atlantic Forest of Argentina. Four habitat types were compared: (i) native forest, (ii) silvopastoral systems with native trees, (iii) silvopastoral systems with exotic trees (Pinus taeda), and (iv) open pastures. Canopy cover, and microclimatic and soil conditions were also evaluated in each habitat type. The native forest and silvopastoral systems (both native and exotic) showed lower temperatures, higher relative humidity, higher electrical conductivity, and higher nitrate (N-NO3) and sand contents than open pastures, which showed opposite microclimatic conditions and higher clay contents. In addition, field experiments using acrylic plastic beads and cow dung were performed to evaluate the burial activity of dung beetles, and its influence on soil properties. Soil samples were collected after 30 days to compare the soil conditions among habitat types. Total burial (>95%) and depth (5–6 cm) of acrylic plastic beads were higher in habitat types with native trees than in livestock systems with exotic trees and open pastures; moreover, dung beetle total biomass was strongly and linearly related to burial activity among habitat types. We observed no direct influence of burial activity on soil properties. Our results support the idea that livestock systems with native trees improve the environmental parameters, biomass and ecological functions of dung beetles compared with silvopastoral systems with exotic trees and open pastures.