Biodiversity: dung beetles reveal false afforestation

Horned dung beetle Coprophanius Lancifer

800 meters from the nearby forest, eucalyptus plantations affect the biodiversity of dung beetles in the Amazon region. The smaller the distance to the farm, the diminished the diversity of beetle species, the Working Group on Forest Ecology and Management reports. to study A team of researchers from the University of Bristol and the Federal University of Oest de Pará collected a total of 3,700 dung beetles from 49 species in the Amazon region. Among them were the sparkling blue-horned dung beetles of this type Coprophanius Lancifer.

In the tropics and increasingly in the Amazon, large plantations are planted with non-native trees such as eucalyptus. This has consequences for insects in the forest area. Due to their important role in the ecosystem, dung beetles act as an indicator of the changes caused by such intrusions. It turns out that the effect of neighboring farms varies according to the type of beetle. In addition to the losers, there are also some winners: the total biomass of beetles near the farm has increased. Experts write in the publication that this may be due to some species of beetles that can make better use of resources at the boundaries of the habitat.