Dung beetles from two sustainable-use protected forests in the Brazilian Amazon

Carvalho, Edrielly C.; Maldaner, Maria E.; Costa-Silva, Vinícius; Sehn, Heivanice; Franquini, Carol; Campos, Vinícius R.; Seba, Vinicius; Maia, Laís F.; Vaz‐de‐Mello, Fernando Z.; França, Filipe

doi:10.3897/bdj.11.e96101

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…Changes in ant species composition of riparian forests surrounded by cropland and different abiotic conditions probably caused the increased time taken by ants to find seeds in disturbed forests. According to the indicator value test, the dung beetle species found in undisturbed riparian forest, Eurysternus foedus and Isocopris nitidus, are typically found in preserved areas (Carvalho et al, 2023;Génier, 2009), which indicates that preserved riparian forests can maintain them. However, dung beetle ecosystem functions were maintained in riparian forests surrounded by cropland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem functions of ants and dung beetles in agriculture‐dominated Amazonian riparian forests

Ribeiro,

Schoereder,

Sobrinho

et al. 2024

Ecological Entomology

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Land‐use changes and habitat fragmentation can alter biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions. We investigated whether cropland expansion in south‐east Amazonia decreases ecosystem functions performed by ants and dung beetles by altering their communities. We sampled both groups in two forest types, in south‐eastern Amazonia: undisturbed riparian forests and riparian forests surrounded by croplands. We sampled ants and dung beetles with epigaeic pitfall traps, and experimentally assessed seed removal and predation by ants, and faeces and seed removal by dung beetles. Although ant and dung beetle abundance and richness did not differ across riparian forests, species composition of both groups did. Ants found seeds faster in undisturbed riparian forests, but the proportion of seed removal did not differ between forests. The abundance of predatory ants and the predation of termites by ants did not differ between forests. Seed and dung removal by dung beetles did not differ across riparian forests. Despite the observed differences in dung beetle composition, we did not find the effects on ecosystem functions probably due a functional redundancy of species. The quality of ecosystem functions provided by ants is lower in riparian forests surrounded by croplands, while changes in dung beetle diversity did not impact their ecosystem functions, with potential effects on the natural recovery of these disturbed riparian forests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem functions of ants and dung beetles in agriculture‐dominated Amazonian riparian forests

Ribeiro,

Schoereder,

Sobrinho

et al. 2024

Ecological Entomology

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“…A set of procedures has been established to gather data using simple, low-cost techniques, prioritizing the participation of local actors, accompanied by the sharing of analyses and collective interpretation of results. In addition, the multidisciplinary Synergize network (https://synergize.xibe.org/about/) focused on understanding the human-driven and climate-associated disturbances affecting the Brazilian Amazon aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity by gathering community-level datasets on insects, particularly ants, dung beetles [65,66] and aquatic insects [14]. In East Africa, the Kibale National Park in Uganda has documented a decline in arthropod abundance over almost four decades, with a significant decrease in the moderately logged forest area.…”

Section: (C) Ongoing Biomonitoring Programmes and Logistic Complexitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic challenges and opportunities in insect monitoring: a Global South perspective

Sánchez Herrera,

Forero,

Calor

et al. 2024

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Insect monitoring is pivotal for assessing biodiversity and informing conservation strategies. This study delves into the complex realm of insect monitoring in the Global South—world developing and least-developed countries as identified by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development—highlighting challenges and proposing strategic solutions. An analysis of publications from 1990 to 2024 reveals an imbalance in research contributions between the Global North and South, highlighting disparities in entomological research and the scarcity of taxonomic expertise in the Global South. We discuss the socio-economic factors that exacerbate the issues, including funding disparities, challenges in collaboration, infrastructure deficits, information technology obstacles and the impact of local currency devaluation. In addition, we emphasize the crucial role of environmental factors in shaping insect diversity, particularly in tropical regions facing multiple challenges including climate change, urbanization, pollution and various anthropogenic activities. We also stress the need for entomologists to advocate for ecosystem services provided by insects in addressing environmental issues. To enhance monitoring capacity, we propose strategies such as community engagement, outreach programmes and cultural activities to instill biodiversity appreciation. Further, language inclusivity and social media use are emphasized for effective communication. More collaborations with Global North counterparts, particularly in areas of molecular biology and remote sensing, are suggested for technological advancements. In conclusion, advocating for these strategies—global collaborations, a diverse entomological community and the integration of transverse disciplines—aims to address challenges and foster inclusive, sustainable insect monitoring in the Global South, contributing significantly to biodiversity conservation and overall ecosystem health. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring’.

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Testing and optimizing metabarcoding of iDNA from dung beetles to sample mammals in the hyperdiverse Neotropics

Saranholi,

França,

Vogler

et al. 2024

Molecular Ecology Resources

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Over the past few years, insects have been used as samplers of vertebrate diversity by assessing the ingested‐derived DNA (iDNA), and dung beetles have been shown to be a good mammal sampler given their broad feeding preference, wide distribution and easy sampling. Here, we tested and optimized the use of iDNA from dung beetles to assess the mammal community by evaluating if some biological and methodological aspects affect the use of dung beetles as mammal species samplers. We collected 403 dung beetles from 60 pitfall traps. iDNA from each dung beetle was sequenced by metabarcoding using two mini‐barcodes (12SrRNA and 16SrRNA). We assessed whether dung beetles with different traits related to feeding, nesting and body size differed in the number of mammal species found in their iDNA. We also tested differences among four killing solutions in preserving the iDNA and compared the effectiveness of each mini barcode to recover mammals. We identified a total of 50 mammal OTUs (operational taxonomic unit), including terrestrial and arboreal species from 10 different orders. We found that at least one mammal‐matching sequence was obtained from 70% of the dung beetle specimens. The number of mammal OTUs obtained did not vary with dung beetle traits as well as between the killing solutions. The 16SrRNA mini‐barcode recovered a higher number of mammal OTUs than 12SrRNA, although both sets were partly non‐overlapping. Thus, the complete mammal diversity may not be achieved by using only one of them. This study refines the methodology for routine assessment of tropical mammal communities via dung beetle ‘samplers’ and its universal applicability independently of the species traits of local beetle communities.

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Dung beetles from two sustainable-use protected forests in the Brazilian Amazon

Cited by 3 publications

References 82 publications

Ecosystem functions of ants and dung beetles in agriculture‐dominated Amazonian riparian forests

Ecosystem functions of ants and dung beetles in agriculture‐dominated Amazonian riparian forests

Systematic challenges and opportunities in insect monitoring: a Global South perspective

Testing and optimizing metabarcoding of iDNA from dung beetles to sample mammals in the hyperdiverse Neotropics

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