Functional diversity and seasonal activity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) on native grasslands in southern Alberta, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Kadiri ◽  
J.-P. Lumaret ◽  
K.D. Floate
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
European Origin ◽  
Core Species ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Southern Alberta

AbstractTo characterise their functional diversity and seasonal activity, dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) were collected with baited pitfall traps at three sites for three years on a native grassland in southern Alberta, Canada. The total collection of 125 820 beetles comprised 12 species of which eight were of European origin. For each combination of site and year, assemblages were dominated by two or three core species of European origin that represented 70–95% of total beetles and more than 75% of total biomass, but only 10–30% of species richness. Core species consistently includedOnthophagus nuchicornis(Linnaeus) and occasionallyChilothorax distinctus(Müller) andColobopterus erraticus(Linnaeus). Coexistence of these core species appears to be facilitated by differences in their size, seasonal activity, and life history traits.

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) associated with cattle dung on native grasslands of southern Alberta, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 647-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.D. Floate ◽  
N. Kadiri
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Cold Tolerance ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Cattle Dung ◽  
Total Catch ◽  
European Origin ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Southern Alberta

AbstractSurveys of dung beetles establish the dominance of exotic taxa associated with cattle dung on native grasslands in southern Alberta, Canada. Of the 12 species recovered, eight were of European origin and comprised 92.2% of the total catch of 187 963 beetles. Most common wereChilothorax distinctus(Müller),Onthophagus nuchicornis(Linnaeus), andColobopterus erraticus(Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The abundance ofC. distinctushas been known in the region since the 1920s, whereas that ofO. nuchicornisonly was first reported in the 1990s. The abundance ofC. erraticushas not previously been observed in the region and identifies the species as the newest addition to the endemic fauna. The diversity of native species on pastures in southern Canada and adjacent states is depauperate, such that the establishment of European taxa has appreciably increased levels of bioturbation in pasture ecosystems. The success of these exotic species on northern pastures may reflect a level of cold-tolerance greater than that of most native species.

SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF DUNG BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH CATTLE DUNG IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA AND THEIR GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA

1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.D. Floate ◽  
B.D. Gill
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Cattle Dung ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Southern Alberta

AbstractDung beetles (Scarabaeidae) were pitfall trapped at two sites in southern Alberta from 1993 to 1995. A 3-year total of 156 500 specimens representing 17 species was collected. Local assemblages were dominated, in descending order, by the exotic species Onthophagus nuchicornis (Linné), Aphodius prodromus (Brahm), Aphodius distinctus (O.F. Müller), and Aphodius fimetarius (Linné). Aphodius vittatus Say was the most common native species. Although adults were collected from mid-March to mid-November, the activity of individual species either peaked in the spring and again in the fall, or peaked once in spring to midsummer. Maps showing the Canadian distributions for 15 of these species were compiled from examination of collections and published records and identify 10 new provincial records. Most distributions are transcontinental, with the distribution of O. nuchicornis likely expanding only in the last 20–30 years to include Alberta and Saskatchewan. Aphodius erraticus (Linné) and Aphodius ruricola Melsheimer have not been previously reported from British Columbia. Aphodius pinguellus W.J. Brown, Canthon praticola LeConte, and Aphodius coloradensis Horn are restricted to western Canada.

scholarly journals Dung Beetles along a Tropical Altitudinal Gradient: Environmental Filtering on Taxonomic and Functional Diversity

PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e0157442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cássio Alencar Nunes ◽  
Rodrigo Fagundes Braga ◽  
José Eugênio Cortes Figueira ◽  
Frederico de Siqueira Neves ◽  
G. Wilson Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Dung Beetles

EXOTIC BIRCH-LEAFMINING SAWFLIES (HYMENOPTERA: TENTHREDINIDAE) IN ALBERTA: DISTRIBUTIONS, SEASONAL ACTIVITIES, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR COMPETITION

1997 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Digweed ◽  
John R. Spence ◽  
David W. Langor
Keyword(s):  
Urban Trees ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Sticky Traps ◽  
Rural Location ◽  
Three Generations ◽  
Complete Representations ◽  
Fenusa Pusilla ◽  
Profenusa Thomsoni ◽  
Southern Alberta

AbstractThe exotic birch-leafmining sawflies Fenusa pusilla (Lepeletier), Profenusa thomsoni (Konow), and Heterarthrus nemoratus (Fallen) occurred in Alberta during 1992–1995, but only the first two were abundant. Birch-leafmining sawflies occurred at all sites surveyed in central and southern Alberta, and appeared to be expanding their ranges northward. Adult F. pusilla began emerging in mid-May (approximately 220 DD05), and there were one to three generations per year, depending on location and year. Female F. pusilla were relatively less abundant on young than on mature trees. Profenusa thomsoni began attacking trees in June (between 400 and 550 DD05), and was invariably univoltine. Both species were more abundant and were active earlier on urban trees than at a nearby rural location. The highest catches and most complete representations of seasonal activity were obtained using yellow sticky traps. Larval F. pusilla and P. thomsoni are unlikely to compete directly for leaf resources because their leafmining activities are separated spatially and temporally, but they probably compete intraspecifically.

Relationship between fire frequency and nitrogen limitation on foliage production in a native grassland community in Victoria, Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
N Availability ◽  
N Addition ◽  
Grassland Community ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Western Victoria

The relationship between fire frequency (annual v. infrequent) and nitrogen (N) limitation to foliage production in a temperate native grassland community in western Victoria, Australia, was assessed over one growing season using a simple ammonium nitrate addition experiment. Fire history affected the magnitude of the vegetation responses to N addition. At the community level, mean live biomass in infrequently-burned grasslands declined by 20 ± 8% in response to N addition. In contrast, mean biomass increased by 60 ± 15% in annually-burned grasslands in response to N addition. Both grasses and forbs responded positively to N addition in annually-burned grasslands, with forbs responding more substantially than grasses. Foliage production in annually-burned native grasslands therefore appears to be constrained by N availability. The results of this study may have important implications for understanding species coexistence and invasion by non-native species in temperate native grasslands.

Native grasslands in the PlainsTender incentive scheme: conservation value, management and monitoring

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi C. Zimmer ◽  
Jaimie Mavromihalis ◽  
Vivienne B. Turner ◽  
Claire Moxham ◽  
Canran Liu
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Incentive Scheme ◽  
Private Land ◽  
Grass Cover ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Exotic Grass

The native grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, in south-western Victoria, Australia, is a critically endangered community. Much of the remaining grassland exists on private land, where it is grazed by livestock. The impacts of two grazing management strategies, implemented under the PlainsTender incentive scheme, were monitored at 18 on-farm native grassland sites for 4 years. The management strategies were (1) excluding grazing during spring, or (2) flexible grazing and resting. Maintenance of >70% vegetation cover was required under both strategies. Generalised least-squares (repeated-measures) modelling revealed a significant correlation between plant functional group cover and management. However, this correlation was present at the outset of the study and was maintained for the duration of monitoring. Sites rested from livestock grazing in spring had higher native and exotic grass cover, while exotic forb cover was higher at sites where grazing was managed flexibly. Native and exotic grass cover varied significantly from year-to-year under both management strategies; we attribute this to variation in rainfall, particularly drought in the second year. A key outcome of this study was the recognition that high conservation value native grasslands, i.e. large (≥100 ha) and intact (≥36 native species), are being managed successfully on private land, using a range of conservative livestock grazing strategies.

Colonizing ability in the Echinochloa crus-galli complex (barnyard grass). I. Variation in life history

1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 1844-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spencer C. H. Barrett ◽  
Blake F. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Nutrient Stress ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Barnyard Grass ◽  
Vegetative Biomass ◽  
Colonizing Ability

A comparison of life history traits in four taxa of the Echinochloa crus-galli complex (barnyard grass) which differ in colonizing ability and weediness was made under various environmental conditions. The taxa were the alien var. crus-galli, a cosmopolitan weed; var. oryzicola, a crop-mimic restricted to rice fields; var. frumentacea, a crop domesticate; and E. muricata, a native of wetland habitats. Populations studied were from the Central Valley of California where the four taxa are sympatric but ecologically differentiated. All comparisons were made under uniform glasshouse conditions to isolate the genetic component of life history variation. Measurements of the patterns of dry weight allocation, time to flowering, reproductive effort, and seed production were made on individuals grown during different periods of the year under "stress" and "nonstress" conditions utilizing randomized multi-harvest designs.Developmental plasticity in allocation patterns and reproductive phenology occurred in all taxa in response to seasonality and nutrient stress although there were significant differences among taxa in the form of the response. Individuals germinating in August yielded less total biomass and allocated a smaller proportion to roots and a larger proportion to secondary tillers and seed than individuals germinating in April. In all taxa, except E. crus-galli var. frumentacea, a delay in flowering under long days resulted in larger vegetative biomass, lower reproductive effort, and where nutrients were limiting, inhibition of secondary tillers. Nutrient stress resulted in a delay in flowering, increased senescence rates, and a reduction in total biomass and reproductive effort. Although each taxon displayed a wide range of tactics, certain differences in life history strategy among the taxa were maintained. In all regimes E. crus-galli var. crus-galli flowered earlier, and exhibited a greater seed production and reproductive effort than var. oryzicola. In general, E. crus-galli var. frumentacea and E. muricata were intermediate in behaviour.Interpopulation variability in the life history traits of E. crus-galli var. crus-galli and E. muricata was measured in a single-harvest, completely randomized design using 10 populations of each taxon. Significant interpopulation variation was recorded within taxa in tiller height and number, aboveground vegetative biomass, time to anthesis, reproductive biomass, harvest index, seed production, and seed weight. Averaged over 10 populations, E. crus-galli var. crus-galli was taller during vegetative growth, flowered more rapidly, allocated a greater proportion of aboveground biomass to reproduction, and produced a greater number of seeds than E. muricata.Variation in life history parameters among barnyard grass taxa may explain differences in colonizing potential. In particular, the failure of E. muricata and E. crus-galli var. oryzicola to colonize open, seasonally moist sites in California where E. crus-galli var. crus-galli flourishes, may be due to their inability to reach reproductive maturity before the onset of summer drought.

Influence of land use on the taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Gómez-Cifuentes ◽  
Ana Munevar ◽  
Victoria C. Gimenez ◽  
M. Genoveva Gatti ◽  
G. A. Zurita
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Dung Beetles

Patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in a human-modified variegated landscape in Brazilian Cerrado

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
César M. A. Correa ◽  
Rodrigo F. Braga ◽  
Anderson Puker ◽  
Vanesca Korasaki
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Brazilian Cerrado
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