Coprophagous beetle community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae, Hydrophilidae) in two cattle pastures in South Bohemia

Abstract

Simultaneous monitoring of coprophagous beetles was carried out using baited pitfall traps in mountain pastures at Jenín and Pasečná in the southern part of the Czech Republic. In total, 5,787 specimens of 31 species were collected in six one-week sampling trials carried out during 2011-2013. Little difference was found between the pastures in the total abundance of the collected material (8%) and in the diversity (Shannon’s index of diversity, Z = 1.78, P = 0.07). Considerable differences were found in the abundance of several species: Aphodius sphacelatus (Panzer 1798) and Aphodius erraticus (Linnaeus 1758) were more abundant at Jenín (by 85 and 98%, respectively), while Onthophagus fracticornis (Preyssler 1790), Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Hartmann in L. G. Scriba 1791), Geotrupes stercorarius (Linnaeus, 1758), and Aphodius depressus (Kugelann 1792) were more abundant at Pasečná (by 89%, 95% 100% and 100%, respectively). Due to their tunnelling breeding activity in soil beneath animal droppings, O. fracticornis and G. stercorarius may provide valuable ecosystem services in Pasečná pasture, mainly bioturbation and soil fertilisation.