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The Response of Dung Beetle Communities to Land Use Change in the Brazilian Cerrado

Author

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  • Pedro Gomes Peixoto

    (Department of Crop Protection, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castelane Castellane S/N-Vila Industrial, Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil)

  • Gabriela de Sousa Barbosa

    (Department of Crop Protection, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castelane Castellane S/N-Vila Industrial, Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil)

  • Heytor Lemos Martins

    (Department of Biology, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil)

  • Ana Luíza Franco

    (Graduate Program in Veterinary Sciences (One Health), School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil)

  • Jhansley Ferreira da Mata

    (Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), Unidade Frutal, Frutal 38202-436, Minas Gerais, Brazil)

  • Vanesca Korasaki

    (Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), Unidade Frutal, Frutal 38202-436, Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Abstract

The transformation of the Cerrado biome into areas with different levels of activity and anthropic pressure negatively impacts biodiversity. This study evaluated the response of the dung beetle community to changes in land use systems: forests, rubber trees, pastures, and soybeans. Five areas were sampled in each system with a minimum distance of 2 km between them. Dung beetles were collected using pitfall traps, and both local (vegetation density, basal area of wooded vegetation, fractal dimension, litter height, electrical conductance (mV), water content in the soil (%), and soil resistance (kPa)) and landscape-related environmental variables (land use and overall composition and configuration of the landscape surrounding the sampling areas) were measured. In total, 2294 specimens were collected and distributed among 34 species and 18 genera. There was no significant difference in abundance between the systems, but differences in the number of species and biomass were observed between forest and soybean systems, as well as a separation of communities between the tree-covered (forest and rubber tree) and open (pasture and soybean) systems. Density and arboreal basal area were the main predictive variables for the diversity of the dung beetle community, reinforcing the importance of vegetation cover for maintaining diversity, whereas local and landscape-related variables influenced community composition.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Gomes Peixoto & Gabriela de Sousa Barbosa & Heytor Lemos Martins & Ana Luíza Franco & Jhansley Ferreira da Mata & Vanesca Korasaki, 2025. "The Response of Dung Beetle Communities to Land Use Change in the Brazilian Cerrado," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:4:p:781-:d:1628458
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    References listed on IDEAS

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