RT Journal Article
T1 Effects of climatic and time‐related variables on dung beetle communities: A case study in Central Spain
A1 Grzechnik, Sandra
A1 Cabrero Sañudo, Francisco José
AB Dung beetles are considered a key element in ecosystems as they are involved in many ecological processes, being one of the main decomposers of organic matter in the landscape. They can be classified into 3 subfamilies: Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae and Scarabaeinae, with each subfamily exhibiting specific adaptations and evolutionary strategies that have developed over time. The global patterns of dung beetle diversity are influenced by ecological factors, such as climatic (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure) and time-related variables. Thus, the aim of the study is to see how these variables affect a dung beetle community and whether there are different responses among the subfamilies. The study was carried out in Mataelpino, a town located in Central Spain (Madrid, Spain). Monthly sampling was conducted from May 2018 to February 2020. According to the results the variables considered exert an effect on dung beetles, with differences observed among the subfamilies. To our knowledge, atmospheric pressure has been considered for the first time in a study of this type, with a greater effect being observed in the Aphodiinae subfamily than in the rest of the dung beetle groups. Regarding the other subfamilies, it has been observed that temperature is a determining factor for Scarabaeinae species, whereas humidity seems to have a greater effect on Geotrupinae species.
PB Wiley
SN 1738-2297
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117672
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117672
LA eng
NO Grzechnik S, Cabrero-Sañudo FJ (2024) Effects of climatic and time-related variables on dung beetle communities: A case study in Central Spain. Entomological Research. 54(8), e12763. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-5967.12763.
NO This research has been carried out with the personal funding of the authors.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 20 abr 2025