Abstract

SULCA GARRO, Lidia  and  HUAMANTINCO ARAUJO, Ana A.. Seasonal variation in the dung beetles community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from the Peruvian amazon floodplain. Ecol. apl. [online]. 2016, vol.15, n.1, pp.47-55. ISSN 1726-2216.

Scarabaeinae dung beetles play a fundamental role in the tropical ecosystem dynamics. Thus, it is important to study their seasonal variations in the amazon floodplain. Our main goal was to identify variations in richness, abundance and community structure in Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) dung beetles in two seasons (wet and dry), comparing two kinds of baits. Collections were made in both seasons (dry and rain) using human feces and putrid fish as bait traps. A total of 16 422 specimens belonging to 39 species: 14 431 belonging to 35 species in the rainy season and 1 991 specimens belonging to 28 species in dry season were found. Dominant species were Ontophagus haematopus Harold 1875, Canthon quinquemaculatus Castelnau 1840, and Canthon aequinoctialis Harold 1868. Abundance compared between the two seasons and two kinds of baits, using the generalized linear model (GML), showed statistically significant differences. Otherwise, richness did not show significant difference. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM), using the multidimensional scaling method (MDS), showed a significant difference of the composition of dung beetles community in the two seasons, as well as between the two kinds of baits. The species accumulation curve showed optimal sampling efforts, with more of 94% of expected species. We found a pronounced fluctuation of the dung beetles due to the temporality.

Keywords : richness; abundance; wet season; dry season.

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