Importance of Dung Incorporation Activity by Three Species of Coprophagous Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) Macrofauna in Pastureland on "La Michilia" Biosphere Reserve in Durango, Mexico

Anduaga, Sofía; Huerta, Carmen

doi:10.1093/ee/36.3.555

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Our study shows that Copestylum larvae are important to maintain these ecosystem processes in arid habitats. Their role is similar to the role performed by coprophagous beetles that incorporate large amounts of dung into the soil (Anduaga and Huerta, 2007). Copestylum larvae are important for cactus forest ecosystem functioning and our results demonstrate the significant, but as yet under-appreciated role of insects in general, and Copestylum in particular, in ecosystem processes of arid habitats.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A critical role for Copestylum larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in the decomposition of cactus forests

Martínez-Falcón

Marcos-García

Moreno

et al. 2012

Journal of Arid Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Directly, they consume large amounts of dead material, assimilating it into their own biomass and dispersing unassimilated material as fecal pellets (Dangerfield and Milner, 1993;Maraun andScheu, 1996, Anduaga andHuerta, 2007). Indirect effects include comminuting, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A critical role for Copestylum larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in the decomposition of cactus forests

Martínez-Falcón

Marcos-García

Moreno

et al. 2012

Journal of Arid Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…From what is known on emergence, reproduction, and nidiÞcation of the species studied (Moró n and Deloya 1991, Anduaga and Huerta 2007), dung pat colonization must have occurred in a small window of time after the pats were experimentally placed in the pasturelands, and no further colonization should have followed. Our data show simultaneous larvae development of the three species and a consistent sequence of events: nidiÞcation and oviposition in September, larval development from October to April, pupal development in May, and adult emergence in June, coinciding with the rainy season.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Currently, cattle are taken to the study area during the rainy season (SeptemberÐOctober). At this period, 62Ð162 cow pats/ha have been counted (Anduaga and Huerta 2007), with each pat weighing ϳ3Ð 4 kg (C.H. and S.A., unpublished data; Hughes et al 1975).…”

Section: Materials Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Use of Food and Space by Tunneler Dung Beetles (Coleoptera; Scarabaeinae) During Reproduction

Huerta

Anduaga

López‐Portillo

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

At two temperate pasturelands in northern Mexico, we explored possible competition for food and space under pats during the simultaneous nesting periods of the univoltine species Dichotomius colonicus (Say), Phanaeus quadridens (Say), and Copris sierrensis Matthews. To simulate unlimited resources, 50 5-kg cow dung pats were placed at regular distance intervals in each pastureland. After building trenches around the pats, the number and depth of each nest, as well as larval development status, were documented once for a period of 1-8 mo. Analyses of variance and association tests were used to make a between-site comparison of dung pat occupation, nests occupied per species, nests per dung pat, and nest depth below each pat. The proportion of pats occupied by each species differed significantly between sites. C. sierrensis colonizing most pats at one site and D. colonicus at the other. There were no differences between sites in the frequency of pats occupied by more than one species. The association test and Ochiai index showed that each species colonized dung pats independently. The results suggest that pat occupation depended on their location by beetles and the relative abundance of each species. The species tended to dig nests at different depths, possibly reducing interspecific competition for space. It can therefore be concluded that, when food resources seem to be unlimited, they are shared following a "lottery dynamic" model if there is spatial differentiation among species.

show abstract

Indirect exposure to Bt maize through pig faeces causes behavioural changes in dung beetles

Campos

Holderbaum

Nodari

et al. 2018

J Applied Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Genetically modified (GM) Bt plants currently represent a highly adopted alternative for pest control in agricultural crops. However, their safety to non‐target organisms has been an unsolved issue. Non‐target organisms associated to nutrient cycling in natural and agricultural systems, such as dung beetles, use faeces of mammals as a food resource and could be exposed to Bt‐plant material through faeces of livestock fed with Bt‐crops. The aim of this study was to assess whether indirect exposure to transgenic Bt maize MON810 can reduce fitness in dung beetles. Four dung beetles species, Canthon angularis, Canthon rutilans cyanescens, Coprophanaeus saphirinus and Phanaeus splendidulus, were reared under laboratory conditions and fed with pig faeces using two treatments/diets: faeces of pigs fed transgenic maize and of pigs fed conventional maize. The behaviour of insects was tested by experiments on the incorporation of organic matter in the soil and nesting, and experiments of foraging behaviour with olfactometry measures. Organic matter incorporation in the soil per male–female pairs of C. rutilans was similar between GM and conventional treatments, as was their reproductive success, but beetles fed with faeces from transgenic maize produced more brood balls. In another trial regarding the incorporation of organic matter in the soil, C. saphirinus fed with faeces derived from conventional maize showed greater ability to bury food resource in comparison with GM fed ones. In an olfactometer test, the time to reach the food source was longer for individuals of C. rutilans, previously fed with transgenic faeces during 1 month, than individuals fed with conventional faeces. Our results suggest that differences found in dung beetles’ ability represent potential indirect effects of transgenic maize through the food chain and may also affect ecological functions of these organisms in natural habitats, by means of reduced beetle efficiency in removal and burial of faecal masses.

show abstract

Importance of Dung Incorporation Activity by Three Species of Coprophagous Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) Macrofauna in Pastureland on "La Michilia" Biosphere Reserve in Durango, Mexico

Cited by 11 publications

References 13 publications

A critical role for Copestylum larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in the decomposition of cactus forests

A critical role for Copestylum larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in the decomposition of cactus forests

Use of Food and Space by Tunneler Dung Beetles (Coleoptera; Scarabaeinae) During Reproduction

Indirect exposure to Bt maize through pig faeces causes behavioural changes in dung beetles

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About