Dung beetle

Abstract: In many ecosystems dung beetles play a crucial role--both ecologically and economically--in the decomposition of large herbivore dung. Their activities provide scientists with an excellent opportunity to explore biological community dynamics. This collection of essays offers a concise account of the population and community ecology of dung beetles worldwide, with an emphasis on comparisons between arctic, temperate, and tropical species assemblages. Useful insights arise from relating the vast differences in species' life histories to their population and community-level consequences. The authors also discuss changes in dung beetle faunas due to human-caused habitat alteration and examine the possible effects of introducing dung beetles to cattle-breeding areas that lack efficient native species. "With the expansion of cattle breeding areas, the ecology of dung beetles is a subject of great economic concern as well as one of intense theoretical interest. This excellent book represents an up-to-date ecological study covering important aspects of the dung beetle never before presented."--Gonzalo Halffter, Instituto de Ecologia, Mexico City

Abstract: Standardized sampling methods are essential for comparing species diversity and abundance patterns across different studies and sites. Although dung beetles are widely used as a focal taxon in biodiversity studies, nothing appears to be known about the effective sampling area of dung-baited traps. Mark-recapture experiments using Canthon acutus showed that at least 50 m between traps should minimize trap interference, and that wind affects trap detectability. Consequently, we propose a standardized dung beetle sampling design.