Comparative effect of forest cutting and mammal hunting on dung beetle assemblages in Chocó Biogeographic forests in Colombia

Abstract

Anthropic activities usually affect the diversity, structure, and functionality of communities. The tropical rain forests from Chocó Biogeographic in Colombia are one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, very few studies evaluate the impact of anthropic activities on areas surrounding human populations. The structure of dung beetle assemblages was studied to compare a forest exposed to hunting activities (FH) and a forest intervened by cutting and thinning trees (FC). Two samplings were carried out in March and October 2009 using 64 pitfall traps distributed in four transects. We captured 678 individuals belonging to 18 species and nine genera. FH had 227 individuals and 12 species, and FC had 451 individuals and 16 species. The diversity index did not show statistical differences in the dung beetle assemblages between forests. Also, diversity profiles did not present differences between forests by richness (q0) and abundance (q1 and q2). Both forests shared the same species (ANOSIM: p < 0.01), while FH showed a lower dissimilarity in the species composition (ANOVA: F = 9.83). FH showed an absence of several species and the loss of some functional traits. FC has three times more roller beetles and almost twice as many small-medium tunneller beetles than FH, while there was a critical absence of large species in both forests. In conclusion, our results showed that hunting and cutting disturbances in these forests could similarly impact dung beetles' diversity and functional structure. However, it is important to continue evaluating the anthropogenic effect on nearby forests to establish conservation strategies for dung beetles.