| Title | Nesting strategies affect altitudinal distribution and habitat use in Alpine dung beetle communities |
| Abstract | 1. Dung beetles are key contributors to a suite of ecosystem services. Understanding the factors that dictate their distributions is a necessary step towards preventing negative impacts of biodiversity loss. 2. Alpine dung beetle communities were analysed along altitudinal gradients to assess how different components of the community, defined in terms of nesting strategy [dung-ovipositing Aphodiidae (DOAs), soil-ovipositing Aphodiidae (SOAs) and two paracoprid (PAR) groups, Geotrupidae and Scarabaeidae] and parameters relevant to dung removal rates (species richness, total biomass and functional diversity), are distributed, and to identify to which environmental factors they respond. 3. Species richness declined with altitude. There was no significant variation in functional diversity or total biomass in relation to altitude. There were significant variations when considered by nesting group: DOA species richness and biomass decreased, SOA biomass increased, and Geotrupidae biomass showed a non-linear trend, as altitude increased. 4. Functional diversity and total species richness were positively related to vegetation cover. DOA species richness was highest in forest and scrub; SOA species richness was highest in grassland and PAR species richness was lowest in rocky areas. 5. Dung beetle species show different trends in species richness and biomass depending on nesting strategy. Management to promote the dung beetle community should include maintenance of a mosaic of habitat types. Given the likely importance of species richness and biomass to ecosystem functioning, and the complimentary effect of different dung beetle groups, such a strategy may protect and enhance the ecosystem services that Alpine dung beetles provide. |
| Source | Ecological entomology (Print) 40 (4), pp. 372–380 |
| Keywords | Aphodiidaedung removalecosystem servicesendocopridfunctional diversityGeotrupidaeOnthophaginiparacoprid |
| Journal | Ecological entomology (Print) |
| Editor | Blackwell Scientific for the Royal Entomological Society of London,, Oxford, Regno Unito |
| Year | 2015 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1111/een.12195 |
| Authors | Chamberlain, Dan; Tocco, Claudia; Longoni, Alice; Mammola, Stefano; Palestrini, Claudia; Rolando, Antonio |
| Text | 412053 2015 10.1111/een.12195 ISI Web of Science WOS 000357479700006 Aphodiidae dung removal ecosystem services endocoprid functional diversity Geotrupidae Onthophagini paracoprid Nesting strategies affect altitudinal distribution and habitat use in Alpine dung beetle communities Chamberlain, Dan; Tocco, Claudia; Longoni, Alice; Mammola, Stefano; Palestrini, Claudia; Rolando, Antonio Univ Turin 1. Dung beetles are key contributors to a suite of ecosystem services. Understanding the factors that dictate their distributions is a necessary step towards preventing negative impacts of biodiversity loss. 2. Alpine dung beetle communities were analysed along altitudinal gradients to assess how different components of the community, defined in terms of nesting strategy dung ovipositing Aphodiidae DOAs , soil ovipositing Aphodiidae SOAs and two paracoprid PAR groups, Geotrupidae and Scarabaeidae and parameters relevant to dung removal rates species richness, total biomass and functional diversity , are distributed, and to identify to which environmental factors they respond. 3. Species richness declined with altitude. There was no significant variation in functional diversity or total biomass in relation to altitude. There were significant variations when considered by nesting group DOA species richness and biomass decreased, SOA biomass increased, and Geotrupidae biomass showed a non linear trend, as altitude increased. 4. Functional diversity and total species richness were positively related to vegetation cover. DOA species richness was highest in forest and scrub; SOA species richness was highest in grassland and PAR species richness was lowest in rocky areas. 5. Dung beetle species show different trends in species richness and biomass depending on nesting strategy. Management to promote the dung beetle community should include maintenance of a mosaic of habitat types. Given the likely importance of species richness and biomass to ecosystem functioning, and the complimentary effect of different dung beetle groups, such a strategy may protect and enhance the ecosystem services that Alpine dung beetles provide. 40 Published version Articolo in rivista Blackwell Scientific for the Royal Entomological Society of London, 0307 6946 Ecological entomology Print Ecological entomology Print Ecol. entomol. Print Ecological entomology. Print stefano.mammola MAMMOLA STEFANO |
