Microstatial distribution of dung-beetles(Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in the horse excrementsin South Sikhote-Alina, Russia
S. A. SHABALIN
Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity,Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
Keywords: dung-beetles, assembly, microstatial distribution, biodiversity, seasonal dynamic, ecological niches
Abstract
For the first time, the differentiation by microsites of the population of dung beetles of the inhabitants of horse droppings in South Sikhote-Alin, Primorsky Territory was studied. The heterogeneity of the substrate has a significant effect on the distribution of beetles among microstations. The key factor affecting the seasonal dynamics of the species composition, abundance and biomass of beetles in different parts of the droppings are the temperature and humidity regime. It is shown that the confinement of certain species of dung beetles to areas of horse manure can serve as a way of dividing their ecological niches and a way of avoiding competition within one functional group.
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