Diversity of dung beetles in Mediterranean wetlands and bordering brushwood

Abstract

The seasonal and spatial distributions of dung-feeding scarabs were studied throughout a spatial gradient from a wetland to an adjacent brushwood ecosystem in Pego-Oliva Natural Park, eastern Iberian Peninsula. The brushwood habitat was richer in species than the wetland habitat; nevertheless, the greatest numbers of individuals were recorded in the wetland habitat. In the wetland the dung beetle species were more opportunistic and active in spring and summer compared with specialist dung beetles in brushwood whose activity was concentrated in spring and fall. The results show that it would be advisable to include the surrounding brushwood of the wetlands in the protected area to conserve the Mediterranean communities of dung beetles.