Identifying Priority Habitats for Dung Beetle Conservation: Taxonomic and Functional Responses Across a Land-Use Disturbance Gradient

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities are causing a decline in dung beetles due to land-use change and overexploitation. This underscores the need for their conservation, for which identification of high-priority habitats and associated species is necessary. To achieve this, this study evaluated taxonomic and functional diversity across various land-use types and dung types. Field experiments were conducted using dung-baited pitfall traps set up in different land-use types along a disturbance gradient: built environments, agricultural fields, coniferous forests, and deciduous forests. The traps were baited with wild boar, cattle, and leopard cat dung. With this data, the changes in taxonomic and functional diversity indices were explored. The results indicated that deciduous forests were the most important habitat in most instances, except for small dung beetles and dwellers, which favored agricultural fields. Regarding dung type, wild boar dung was preferred in all cases, with a significantly lower preference for cattle and leopard cat dung. This study utilized multiple indices to identify high-priority habitats and associated species, emphasizing the significance of deciduous forests, agricultural fields, and wild boar for the conservation of dung beetles.