Abstract

NORIEGA, Jorge Ari et al. Seasonal structure of the assemblage of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in a permanent plot of tropical dry forest. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2016, vol.40, n.154, pp.75-83. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.255.

Tropical dry forests in South America are one of the less known ecosystems and they exhibit one of the biggest annual losses in forest cover. From a conservationist perspective, it has been proposed to use indicator groups such as dung beetles to try to understand the seasonal dynamics of the species community structure of these forest remnants. Sampling was performed during the dry and rainy seasons in 2012 to characterize the species composition of the dung beetle assemblage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in a permanent plot of dry forest located in the University of Magdalena, Santa Marta district (Magdalena - Colombia). Three sampling transects were set up in the parcel using pitfall traps baited with human dung. A total of 5,001 individuals, corresponding to 13 species and seven genera were registered. The abundance of the species Canthon variabilis during the two seasons was noteworthy. Although no significant differences in abundance between seasons were found, they were registered for species richness. Of the 13 species that we found, eight appeared exclusively in one season. The absence of Malagoniella astyanax and Digitonthophagus gazella indicates that the parcel has an intermediate degree of conservation. The number of species and the structure of the assemblage matched with values of other studies carried out in the Caribbean region showing a strong seasonal dynamic. Our results highlight that it is necessary to continue with this type of studies, analyzing the functional effects of fragmentation and fragment size in ecosystem services and processes.

Keywords : Conservation; dry season; permanent plot; Scarabaeidae; seasonal dynamics.

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