Resumen

ARI NORIEGA, Jorge; M. PALACIO, Javier; MONROY-G., José D.  y  VALENCIA, Edison. DUNG BEETLE ASSEMBLAGE STRUCTURE (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEINAE) IN THREE SITES WITH DIFFERING LAND USE IN ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA. Actu Biol [online]. 2012, vol.34, n.96, pp.43-54. ISSN 0304-3584.

Andean forests are subjected to strong hábitat disturbance and fragmentation due to the creating of pasture and crop monocultures, especially coffee. In addition, there is little information available concerning the ability of these forest relicts to maintain their biodiveristy. This study was conducted in a coffee-ranching farm in the municipality of Tarso (Antioquia), Colombia, using dung beetles are a bioindicator group. Three inventories in three habitats were conducted, each via a transect with nine pitfall traps baited with pig feces during 48 hours. A total of 779 individuals belonging to 13 species and 7 genera were collected. Onthophagus curvicornis (n = 196, 25,2%) and Oxysternon conspicillatum (n = 159, 20,4%) were the dominant species. There were no significant differences among the habitats in terms of richness, abundance, or diversity, but they did differ in biomass. The assemblage was dominated by diggers, with some endocoprids, and no roller species, indicating the high degree of disturbance to the forests. The coffee plantation was the habitat with the highest diversity, perhaps due to a greater food supply. The biomass differences documented were probably a result of hábitat disturbance and fragmentation, leading to the dominance of O. conspicillatum, suggesting that the presence of this species in this área will be indispensable for maintaining ecosystem functionality.

Palabras clave : biomass; coffee plantations; assemblage; dung beetles; premountain humid forest relicts; Scarabaeidae.

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