An ecological study of an Australian dung beetle, <i>Onthophagus granulatus</i> Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), using physiological age-grading techniques

Tyndale-Biscoe, Marina; Wallace, M. M. H.; Walker, J. M.

doi:10.1017/s0007485300051117

Cited by 57 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This is in marked contrast to what is known about resorption and egg development in some other dung beetles, e.g. Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche) (Tyndale-Biscoe & Watson, 1977) and Onthophagus granulatus Boheman (Tyndale-Biscoe et al, 1981), in which resorption of the terminal follicle and development of the sub-terminal one can occur simultaneously, with the resorbing follicle being extruded into the haemocoel.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

Effects of ovarian condition on nesting behaviour in a brood-caring dung beetle, Copris diversus Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Biscoe

1983

Bull. Entomol. Res.

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Copris diversusWaterh. is a brood-caring dung beetle from Africa, the females remaining in the nest with their brood balls until the young emerge. A technique was developed which allowed access to the nest without interrupting nesting behaviour, so that beetles and nest contents could be observed and dung could be added into or removed from the nest at specific times. At 27°C, if more dung was added to the nest in the first three days after the start of brood care, most beetles continued oviposition. Resorption of the terminal follicle started some time between the third and twelfth days of brood care, and while the terminal follicle was resorbing the beetles did not revert to breeding if supplied with additional dung. Subsequent follicles were also resorbed if brood care was allowed to continue beyond ten days, but their resorption did not impose a lengthy delay in breeding. Oviposition resumed 17 to 21 days after the start of brood care, irrespective of when the dung was added. Development of new follicles following follicle resorption took three to seven days, and thus the resorption of the terminal follicle must have taken about seven to fifteen days.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

Effects of ovarian condition on nesting behaviour in a brood-caring dung beetle, Copris diversus Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Biscoe

1983

Bull. Entomol. Res.

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“…The pitfall trap design was based on that of Tyndale-Biscoe, Wallace & Walker (1981). Five percent chloral hydrate was used as the preserving fluid.…”

Section:  mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of the intensification of agriculture on northern temperate dung beetle communities

Hutton

Giller

2003

Journal of Applied Ecology

156

109

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Summary 1.There is growing concern that the intensification of agriculture within southern Ireland is having detrimental effects on Irish fauna through habitat loss, reduction in biodiversity and pollution-related events. To assess the impact of farm management on one group of important insects, the dung beetles, their abundance, biomass, diversity and species richness were examined using dung-baited pitfall traps in intensive, organic and rough grazing farms. 2. We collected 39 631 dung beetles belonging to 24 different species. Eight species ( Aphodius prodromus , A. sphacelatus , A. ater , A. rufipes , A. depressus , Sphaeridium lunatum , S. scarabaeoides and Margarinotus carbonarius ) accounted for 94% of the captures, but their relative dominance varied with farm type. 54% of total individuals captured were from organic sites, 30% from intensive sites and 16% from rough grazing sites. 3. Organic farms had significantly greater beetle biomass, diversity and species richness compared to intensive and rough grazing farms. Aphodius abundance on organic farms was significantly greater than on intensive and rough grazing farms in spring and autumn. Aphodius biomass on organic farms was significantly greater than on rough grazing farms in spring, late summer and autumn, and greater in autumn compared with intensive farms. 4.A colonization experiment demonstrated that the variation in dung beetle abundance among different dung types depended on the farm type. This was not true for beetle biomass colonizing dung pads, where variation among different dung types and different farm types were independent. Multiple comparisons showed that under rough grazing and intensive management there was significantly greater beetle abundance and biomass found in dung from organic and intensive farms than from rough grazing farms. Dung from organic farms held a significantly greater beetle biomass than the intensive and rough grazing dung. 5. Synthesis and applications . Intensive agricultural management including the use of chemical fertilisers, veterinary drugs (e.g. ivermectin) and removal of herbaceous field boundaries could be detrimental to dung beetle biodiversity and dung decomposition. Organic farming has beneficial effects on dung beetle communities. Patchy ecosystems characterized by a diversity of ungulate species increase dung beetle diversity and hence improve dung decomposition.

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“…After copulation, additional oocytes are made and mature inside the germarium, and the female initiates the production of brood balls and oviposition. At the end of the ovipositing period, the ovary degenerates, and any unviable eggs left in the germarium are reabsorbed (for details see e.g., Englemann, ; Halffter and López, ; Tyndale‐Biscoe, ; Tyndale‐Biscoe et al, ; Halffter and Edmonds, ; González‐Megías and Sánchez‐Piñero, ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Differentiation of ovarian development and the evolution of fecundity in rapidly diverging exotic beetle populations

2015

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Fecundity is a fundamental determinant of fitness, yet the proximate developmental and physiological mechanisms that enable its often rapid evolution in natural populations are poorly understood. Here, we investigated two populations of the dung beetle Onthophagus taurus that were established in exotic ranges in the early 1970s. These populations are subject to drastically different levels of resource competition in the field, and have diverged dramatically in female fecundity. Specifically, Western Australian O. taurus experience high levels of resource competition, and exhibit greatly elevated reproductive output compared to beetles from the Eastern US, where resource competition is minimal and female fecundity is low. We compared patterns of ovarian maturation, relative investment into and timing of egg production, and potential trade-offs between ovarian investment and the duration of larval development and adult body size between populations representative of both exotic ranges. We found that the rapid divergence in fecundity between exotic populations is associated with striking differences in several aspects of ovarian development: (1) Western Australian females exhibit accelerated ovarian development, (2) produce more eggs, (3) bigger eggs, and (4) start laying eggs earlier compared to their Eastern US counterparts. At the same time, divergence in ovarian maturation patterns occurred alongside changes in (5) larval developmental time, and (6) adult body size, and (7) mass. Western Australian females take longer to complete larval development and, surprisingly, emerge into smaller yet heavier adults than size-matched Eastern US females. We discuss our results in the context of the evolutionary developmental biology of fecundity in exotic populations.

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An ecological study of an Australian dung beetle, Onthophagus granulatus Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), using physiological age-grading techniques

Cited by 57 publications

References 8 publications

Effects of ovarian condition on nesting behaviour in a brood-caring dung beetle, Copris diversus Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Effects of ovarian condition on nesting behaviour in a brood-caring dung beetle, Copris diversus Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The effects of the intensification of agriculture on northern temperate dung beetle communities

Differentiation of ovarian development and the evolution of fecundity in rapidly diverging exotic beetle populations

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