Enhancing functional structure in Tropical Dry Forests: The role of early successional areas during an ENSO event for the conservation of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
摘要
The highly threatened tropical dry forest ecosystem requires urgent conservation actions to prevent processes such as soil desertification, particularly in the context of climate change. In this ecosystem, spontaneous succession emerges as a product of abandoned land-use areas close to natural forest patches. These areas could provide resources and refuges for various insect species, such as carabid beetles. The objective of this study was to determine the functional response of carabid beetles to spontaneous succession during an El Niño-ENSO event in a Colombian tropical dry forest. Carabid beetles were collected in two localities over the course of one year in three habitat types: pasture (as an initial point), early successional stages and intermediate successional forest. Six functional response traits related to resource acquisition and use were measured to calculate seven functional indices to characterize functional structure. Early successional stages had the highest values of functional richness, evenness and dispersion. Unlike functional divergence, originality and specialization showed similar values across successional stages. The large carabid beetle Calosoma alternans had the highest trait contribution to functional identity along the successional process. Our results showed the importance of early spontaneous successional zones in enhancing functional diversity during long periods of drought experienced during an ENSO event.