Scholarlink

<p>Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) play a vital role in ecosystems by decomposing dung, serving as indicators of biodiversity particularly in tropical regions. This study investigated the community structure, species richness, and abundance of dung beetles across eleven habitat types in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, West Champaran, Bihar, India. Using 44 pitfall traps along 11 transects, we collected 4048 beetles representing 50 species. The highest richness occurred in Mixed Moist Deciduous and Dry Deciduous Sal Forests, while Sugarcane fields had the fewest species, indicating a preference for closed-canopy forests over open or agricultural areas. The Shannon Diversity Index ranged from 0.63 to 2.43, with the highest diversity in Mixed Moist Deciduous Forest and the lowest along the Bank of Gandak River. Habitat specialization was assessed using Bulla’s Index, categorizing species as specialists, moderately specialized, or generalists. Canonical Correspondence Analysis identified altitude and soil moisture as key factors influencing dung beetle assemblages. Our findings highlight the importance of forested environments in supporting diverse dung beetle populations, underscoring the need to protect these critical habitats for their ecological value.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Habitat-driven patterns of dung beetle distribution in the Indian subcontinent

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月25日

查看全文
  • Sourabh Verma,
  • Neeraj Narayan,
  • Piyush Barnwal,
  • Nesamani Kandasamy,
  • Bhupendra Kumar

摘要

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) play a vital role in ecosystems by decomposing dung, serving as indicators of biodiversity particularly in tropical regions. This study investigated the community structure, species richness, and abundance of dung beetles across eleven habitat types in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, West Champaran, Bihar, India. Using 44 pitfall traps along 11 transects, we collected 4048 beetles representing 50 species. The highest richness occurred in Mixed Moist Deciduous and Dry Deciduous Sal Forests, while Sugarcane fields had the fewest species, indicating a preference for closed-canopy forests over open or agricultural areas. The Shannon Diversity Index ranged from 0.63 to 2.43, with the highest diversity in Mixed Moist Deciduous Forest and the lowest along the Bank of Gandak River. Habitat specialization was assessed using Bulla’s Index, categorizing species as specialists, moderately specialized, or generalists. Canonical Correspondence Analysis identified altitude and soil moisture as key factors influencing dung beetle assemblages. Our findings highlight the importance of forested environments in supporting diverse dung beetle populations, underscoring the need to protect these critical habitats for their ecological value.