Arquivo de Ecologia e Conservação -

Environmental heterogeneity structures ant and dung beetle communities across habitat zones in Cerrado palm swamps

Mila Massuda — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:59:43 +0000

RESUMO: Wetlands are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic disturbance and drought, with particularly severe consequences for palm swamps in the Brazilian Cerrado. These ecosystems comprise a mosaic of adjacent habitat zones, including savannas, open humid areas, and hygrophilous forests, which differ markedly in vegetation structure and environmental conditions. This pronounced environmental heterogeneity is expected to influence the distribution and organization of terrestrial insect communities, yet responses of bioindicator taxa to variation among habitat zones within palm swamps remain poorly understood. We investigated how ant and dung beetle communities vary among habitat zones within Cerrado palm swamps and whether these patterns differ among palm swamps under distinct environmental conditions. We sampled insects along transects spanning savannas, open humid areas, and hygrophilous forests in palm swamps representing low, intermediate, and high levels of anthropogenic disturbance and drying. We found strong differences in community organization among habitat zones. Ant richness was highest in open humid areas, whereas dung beetle richness peaked in savanna habitats. Ant community composition was primarily structured by habitat zone regardless of palm swamp condition. In contrast, palm swamp condition influenced dung beetle communities, with changes in species overlap among adjacent habitat zones. Highly anthropized palm swamps exhibited stronger species segregation, whereas severely dried palm swamps showed increased species overlap, suggesting the onset of compositional homogenization. Overall, our results highlight the importance of environmental heterogeneity and hydrological integrity for maintaining insect diversity within palm swamps and suggest that wetland degradation may alter the spatial organization of bioindicator insect communities across habitat zones.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-026-10198-w

O post Environmental heterogeneity structures ant and dung beetle communities across habitat zones in Cerrado palm swamps apareceu primeiro em .

Optimizing sampling protocols: is it feasible to collect predatory beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae and Carabidae) using dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) traps in soybean fields and native vegetation areas in Brazil?

Mila Massuda — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:58:22 +0000

RESUMO: Optimizing sampling protocols can improve data reliability while reducing sampling effort. As sampling methods for dung beetles are well established, testing their efficiency for other key beetle groups, such as Carabidae and Staphylinidae, may help refine sampling approaches. Both groups are widely distributed, sensitive to environmental changes, and effective bioindicators that can be readily sampled using pitfall traps. Although optimal sampling protocols have been proposed, particularly for Carabidae, the effectiveness of baited traps remains uncertain. This study evaluated the richness, abundance, and composition of predatory beetles captured in pitfall traps with and without human-feces bait in native vegetation and soybean croplands. Sampling was conducted at 44 points across farms in Mato Grosso, Brazil. At each point, two transects were established with baited and unbaited pitfall traps. We found differences in richness, abundance, and community composition between trap types, with more staphylinid species captured in baited traps and more carabid species in unbaited traps. Bait use may enhance Staphylinidae capture, whereas unbaited traps may favor Carabidae. These findings highlight the importance of taxon-specific sampling protocols for beetle diversity assessments and environmental monitoring.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650521.2026.2737239

O post Optimizing sampling protocols: is it feasible to collect predatory beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae and Carabidae) using dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) traps in soybean fields and native vegetation areas in Brazil? apareceu primeiro em .

Sit-and-Wait for the Agoutis: Dung Beetle Phoresy on Dasyprocta azarae in a Tropical Forest

Mila Massuda — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:56:04 +0000

RESUMO:We document the first case of phoresy by dung beetles with a rodent, involving Canthon (Goniocanthon) smaragdulus subviridis and agoutis (Dasyprocta azarae). Camera traps set in a tropical forest recorded 21 phoretic events, with agoutis carrying 1–6 beetles each. This behavior likely enhances how beetles locate fresh dung.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70275

O post Sit-and-Wait for the Agoutis: Dung Beetle Phoresy on Dasyprocta azarae in a Tropical Forest apareceu primeiro em .

Gallery Forests as Refugia and Corridors for Dung Beetles Facing Climate Change in the Brazilian Cerrado

Mila Massuda — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:35:01 +0000

RESUMO: Aim: This study provides a climate-driven projection of the current distribution of dung beetle species recorded in gallery forests in the Brazilian Cerrado. These are vulnerable and underestimated environments of the Cerrado, characterized by a unique biodiversity, and home to species from other biomes such as the Amazon and Atlantic Forest in South America. Additionally, we selected species with different distribution patterns and projected past and future climate scenarios to assess the temporal effects of climate change on their distribution. We also provide an updated species checklist for this environment. Location: Neotropical region: gallery forest and associated environments. Taxon: Scarabaeinae. Methods: Species distribution models based on current climatic variables were used to estimate suitable areas. We selected species with different distribution patterns and projected their occurrence under Late Pleistocene paleoclimatic scenarios and future Anthropocene scenarios to assess spatiotemporal changes. Finally, we identified areas of climatic stability that may function as potential refugia. Results: The results indicate that habitat-generalist species and those adapted to disturbances tend to maintain or even expand their distribution. In contrast, species with narrow geographic ranges or specialised habitat needs are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. We found that species that experienced greater climatic instability during the Late Pleistocene are precisely those projected to lose the most climatically suitable areas in the future. The main macrorefugia for these species were the Atlantic and Andean forests. Main Conclusions: This study reinforces the role of Cerrado’s gallery forests as climate refugia and historical corridors for biotic flow between the Amazon and Atlantic Forest. Consequently, we provide insights and identify areas of climatic stability to guide conservation efforts and inform environmental public policies.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70370

O post Gallery Forests as Refugia and Corridors for Dung Beetles Facing Climate Change in the Brazilian Cerrado apareceu primeiro em .

When Resources Become Limited: Trophic Niches Shift From Generalism to Specialization in Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

Mila Massuda — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:24:25 +0000

RESUMO: Resource availability and predictability can shape trophic organization in ecological communities. In livestock pastures, cattle dung represents a highly abundant and predictable trophic subsidy for dung beetles, potentially promoting generalist foraging strategies. Here, we test how cattle exclusion affects trophic organization in dung beetle assemblages in the Brazilian Pantanal. We compared dung beetle richness, abundance, assemblage composition, and trophic classification between cattle-grazed and ungrazed pastures (<20 years of cattle exclusion) using carrion and cattle dung as bait resources. Species richness and abundance did not differ between bait types in either system. However, dung beetle assemblages differed significantly between carrion and dung baits only in ungrazed pastures. In grazed pastures, assemblages were dominated by trophic generalists, whereas ungrazed pastures showed increased trophic specialization, including shifts of four species from generalist to specialist classifications following cattle exclusion. These findings indicate that predictable trophic subsidies homogenize trophic structure by promoting broad resource use, whereas resource limitation restores trophic differentiation and niche partitioning. Our results demonstrate how changes in resource availability can reorganize trophic interactions in decomposer communities and potentially alter patterns of functional complementarity in ecosystems.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70286

O post When Resources Become Limited: Trophic Niches Shift From Generalism to Specialization in Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) apareceu primeiro em .

Beyond forested habitats in tropical ecosystems: the influence of landscape structure for dung beetle assemblages from open habitats

Mila Massuda — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 20:18:47 +0000

RESUMO: Context – Native open habitats in tropical ecosystems are often overlooked despite their ecological importance and unique community structure. Understanding how landscape composition and configuration influence biodiversity in these environments is essential for conservation planning. Objectives – We evaluated how landscape structure—specifically landscape composition (forest cover, open vegetation) and configuration (edge density, patch number, landscape diversity, NDVI)—affects dung beetle assemblages in natural open-canopy habitats of the Cerrado. We examined responses at both community and functional-group levels. Methods – Dung beetles were sampled using baited pitfall traps across 15 open-canopy sites along a gradient of landscape structure. Species richness, abundance, assemblage composition, functional (e.g., tunnellers and rollers) and trophic (e.g., generalists and coprophagous) groups were analyzed with generalized linear models and redundancy analysis. Landscape metrics were extracted at four spatial scales (100–400 m radius), and the best-fitting scale was selected for each variable. Results – We collected 1,382 individuals from 27 species. Edge density emerged as the most influential configuration metric, negatively affecting overall abundance and reducing tunneller species richness and abundance. Forest cover increased the abundance of diet-generalist species. Neither landscape diversity nor NDVI significantly predicted richness or abundance, although NDVI explained species turnover at the 300-m scale. Conclusions – Landscape configuration, particularly edge density, is a key driver of dung beetle diversity in open-canopy habitats, reducing both taxonomic and functional components of assemblages. Conserving large, less fragmented open habitats and minimizing edge creation are crucial for maintaining dung beetle diversity and ecosystem functioning in the Cerrado.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-026-02408-w

O post Beyond forested habitats in tropical ecosystems: the influence of landscape structure for dung beetle assemblages from open habitats apareceu primeiro em .

Assemblage structure and ecological functions of dung beetles in exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon

Mila Massuda — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:55:00 +0000

RESUMO: The implementation of exotic pastures in the Amazon causes drastic negative impacts on its biodiversity. Nevertheless, some species with the ability to colonize pastures may provide important ecosystem services for livestock development in tropical pastures, as in the Amazonian biome. In this study, we evaluated the diversity and assemblage structure of dung beetles, as well as measured their ecological functions (i.e., dung removal and soil excavation) in exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon. Dung beetles were sampled using pitfall traps baited with fresh cattle dung, and their ecological functions were measured using experimental arenas during the rainy season. A total of 123 individuals were collected, belonging to five genera and nine species of dung beetles. Dung beetle assemblage had more species of small to medium body size (<8 mm), with only two species classified as large-bodied. Large and small telecoprids were the most abundant functional groups. The mean (±SE) values for dung removal and soil excavation were 10.9±2.33 g and 15.2±4.22 g, respectively. These findings indicate that only a limited number of dung beetle species are able to colonize exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon, predominantly those of small to medium body size, which leads to a reduction of key ecological functions in these environments.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-026-02019-7

O post Assemblage structure and ecological functions of dung beetles in exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon apareceu primeiro em .

Local environmental conditions and fine-scale landscape composition shape dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity and ecosystem functions in tropical grazing systems

Mila Massuda — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:50:52 +0000

RESUMO: Understanding how local environmental conditions and fine-scale variation in the composition of the surrounding landscape jointly influence biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is essential for promoting sustainable livestock systems in tropical grasslands. Dung beetles are key organisms in these systems, contributing to nutrient cycling, soil bioturbation, and dung removal. Here, we evaluated how local environmental conditions and the composition of the surrounding landscape influence dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as their associated ecological functions, in native pastures of the Brazilian Pantanal. We sampled dung beetle assemblages across ten sites and quantified local variables related to soil properties and vegetation structure together with landscape composition within 100-, 200-, and 300-m buffers surrounding each sampling site. Taxonomic and functional diversity, and ecosystem functions were assessed using standardized protocols. We found that local environmental conditions and surrounding landscape composition jointly influenced dung beetle assemblages and their ecological functions, but their relative importance varied among response variables. Local conditions, particularly soil properties, were the main drivers of taxonomic diversity and abundance, indicating strong environmental filtering at fine scales. In contrast, variation in the proportion of grassland and forest cover surrounding sampling sites had stronger effects on functional diversity and ecosystem functioning. These findings demonstrate that biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tropical grazing systems are shaped by combined influence of local habitat conditions and fine-scale landscape composition.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-026-00816-6

O post Local environmental conditions and fine-scale landscape composition shape dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity and ecosystem functions in tropical grazing systems apareceu primeiro em .

Eu ainda estou aqui: hierarquias e invisibilidades da fauna na conservação da biodiversidade brasileira

Mila Massuda — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:47:16 +0000

RESUMO: O Brasil abriga uma das maiores biodiversidades do planeta, mas essa megadiversidade convive com práticas de conservação marcadas por hierarquias implícitas que orientam o reconhecimento, o monitoramento e a proteção da biota de forma seletiva. Neste artigo de opinião, argumenta-se que a conservação da biodiversidade brasileira tem sido estruturada por prioridades taxonômicas, funcionais e institucionais que produzem invisibilidades sistemáticas, especialmente em relação a grupos hiperdiversos e a processos ecológicos menos visíveis. Essas hierarquias não apenas definem o que é conservado, mas também moldam a forma como a perda da biodiversidade é percebida, mensurada e enfrentada. A partir de evidências da literatura nacional e internacional, discute-se como o viés em favor de espécies carismáticas, de interesse econômico ou de saúde pública restringe o escopo dos programas de monitoramento, limita a detecção precoce de alterações funcionais e favorece respostas de manejo reativas. O texto destaca que componentes frequentemente invisibilizados, como invertebrados do solo e outros organismos funcionalmente centrais, desempenham papel fundamental na manutenção da diversidade funcional e na resiliência dos ecossistemas, mas permanecem sub-representados em políticas públicas e estratégias de conservação. Por fim, defende-se que reconhecer e problematizar essas hierarquias é uma condição necessária para ampliar o escopo da conservação da biodiversidade no Brasil, tornando-a mais integradora, preventiva e compatível com a complexidade ecológica dos sistemas naturais.

doi: https://doi.org/10.37002/biodiversidadebrasileira.v16i2.2906

O post Eu ainda estou aqui: hierarquias e invisibilidades da fauna na conservação da biodiversidade brasileira apareceu primeiro em .

Low-intensity pasture management sustain dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity in Cerrado/Caatinga transition zones

Mila Massuda — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:16:16 +0000

RESUMO: Increasing grazing pressure for food production is a major challenge for biodiversity conservation in tropical dryland, particularly in ecologically complex transition zones that harbor substantial global biodiversity. Despite their high conservation value, the effects of grazing management on biodiversity in drylands remain poorly understood. We investigated how land-use intensity and local environmental metrics influence both taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in native habitats and pastures under contrasting management intensities within a Cerrado–Caatinga transition zone in Brazil. Species richness was significantly higher in native areas and low-intensity pastures than in high-intensity pastures. Vegetation heterogeneity negatively affected the abundance of small- and medium-sized dung beetles in native areas and high-intensity pastures, while exerting positive effects in low-intensity pastures. Soil sand content showed contrasting effects on functional richness, increasing it in low-intensity pastures but reducing it in high-intensity pastures. Although dung beetle species composition differed among land-use types, low-intensity pastures shared a substantially greater number of species with native habitats than high-intensity pastures. Implications for insect conservation Our results demonstrate that low-intensity pasture management sustains both taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles and enhances habitat permeability for species originating from native environments. Promoting less intensive grazing practices in dryland transition regions can therefore represent an effective strategy to reconcile livestock production with insect conservation and the maintenance of key ecosystem services.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-026-00811-x

O post Low-intensity pasture management sustain dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity in Cerrado/Caatinga transition zones apareceu primeiro em .