Arquivo de Ecologia e Conservação -

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

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

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:34:49 +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 dietgeneralist 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

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The First Cases of Gynandromorphism in Cantharidae (Coleoptera)

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:30:51 +0000

RESUMO: Gynandromorphism is a rare phenomenon in which a chimeric individual simultaneously has genetically male and female tissues, typically exhibiting both male and female phenotypes at the same time. Here, we report and describe for the first time two cases of gynandromorphism in the cantharid beetles Discodon crassipes Wittmer, from Brazil, and Discodon metallicum (Bourgeois), from Ecuador. The female of D. crassipes and the male of D. metallicum are described for the first time, enabling the correct interpretation of male and female traits in gynandromorphic specimens. We compare the areas where male and female features are expressed in each gynandromorphic specimen and the differences of these features from fully male and female specimens. In addition, a lectotype is designated for D. metallicum.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-80.2.395

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Reproductive Potential and Life Cycle of the Dung Beetle Dichotomius (Selenocopris) nisus (Olivier, 1789) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Allows Population Reinforcement in Livestock Pastures

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:28:48 +0000

RESUMO: Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789) is a large tunneler dung beetle with potential relevance for ecological restoration and livestock management in Brazilian pastures through its capacity to reduce cattle dung accumulation. This study examined its reproductive biology in the laboratory under ambient temperature and light conditions to assess the feasibility of ex situ breeding for future population reinforcement programs. The study commenced in October 2023 and concluded in January 2025 and was conducted using four males and five females collected from pastures in southern Brazil. Ex situ reproduction was simple and consistent, with the production of five brood balls, which had an average diameter of 37.9 ± 3.59 mm and an average weight of 25.9 ± 3.28 g. The duration of the different developmental stages was four days from egg to larva, 56 days from larva to pupa, and 21 days from pupa to adult. Thus, the total developmental time from egg to adult was 82 ± 0.6 days, with reproductive activity occurring from spring to summer (November to March). Maximum adult longevity reached 207 days in the parental generation and 284 days in the F1 individuals. These findings highlight the reproductive capacity of D. nisus, underscoring its suitability for population reinforcement in livestock landscapes in Brazil. Such an approach offers a sustainable strategy for manure recycling, improving soil function, and increasing environmental quality without relying on chemical inputs

doi: https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-80.2.199

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Sexual Dimorphism in Fat Reserves: How Body Size Shapes Energy Storage Differences between Male and Female Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Pasturelands

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:26:01 +0000

RESUMO: Insects exhibit metabolic strategies for energy storage that influence their responses to environmental changes. Although the physiological effects of disturbances on Scarabaeinae have been studied, sex is often treated as a secondary factor. We used the dung beetle Dichotomius (Dichotomius) bos (Blanchard, 1845) to assess whether sex significantly affects individual traits and physiological condition. Specimens of both sexes were collected from a low-impact pastureland fragment during the rainy season using baited pitfall traps with cattle dung. Individuals were sexed based on cephalic horn morphology and abdominal characters, and dry biomass, fat content, and body size were measured. Fat reserves increased proportionally with dry biomass in both sexes, but females showed a steeper increase per unit of biomass. No significant relationship was detected between body size and fat content. These findings indicate that sexual dimorphism should be considered a central factor in understanding ecological dynamics, and that differences in energy storage strategies between males and females may shape their responses to environmental stress in altered landscapes.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-80.2.371

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Forest covers effect on the diversity patterns of Mexican Neotropical arthropods: an approach multi-scale and multi-taxa along an elevational gradient

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:24:15 +0000

RESUMO: Tropical forests are globally threatened ecosystems facing intense deforestation and habitat fragmentation, which significantly impact their biodiversity. This study evaluates the spatial effects of forest cover on arthropod diversity across an altitudinal gradient within the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, using a multi-taxa approach including dung beetles, heteropterans, melolonthid beetles, and scorpions. Species richness and abundance were modelled across multiple spatial scales of forest cover (100–1000 m buffers) and elevation (0–1,200 m), revealing scale-dependent and taxa-specific responses to habitat amount and elevation. Greater forest cover consistently supported higher species richness and abundance, with variations in scale of effect among taxa. Elevational gradients influenced richness and abundance patterns differentially, including unimodal and inverted unimodal responses. These findings highlight the importance of integrating multi-scale and multi-taxa analyses to understand biodiversity responses to landscape modification and inform conservation strategies tailored to the spatial ecology of tropical forest communities. Implications for insect conservation Maintaining forest cover at appropriate spatial scales is essential for conserving insect diversity, as responses vary among taxa. Landscape-scale conservation across elevational gradients is therefore necessary to protect tropical arthropod communities.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-026-00785-w

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