SAMPLING PROTOCOL FOR DUNG BEETLES (SCARABAEIDAE: SCARABAEINAE) IN RAPELD PLOTS

Authors

Keywords:

Sampling standardization; minimum sampling protocol; Scarabaeinae.

Abstract

Dung beetles (Scarabaeinae) are widely used as bioindicators of habitat quality in biodiversity studies due to their environmental sensitivity, broad geographic distribution, and ease of collection. In addition, they perform essential ecological functions in ecosystems, such as organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and secondary seed dispersal. Various capture methods are employed for sampling these beetles, and standardizing sampling protocols is crucial to ensure greater integration of databases and comparability of data across different areas. This study proposes the adoption of a minimum sampling protocol for dung beetles in RAPELD plots within the Biodiversity Research Program (PPBio), especially for studies on community and population ecology. The protocol consists of installing six pitfall traps, baited with human feces or a mixture of human and pig feces, at the 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250-meter marks of each plot. Samples should be collected after 48 hours, and the captured dung beetles sorted and identified in the laboratory. The use of baited pitfall traps with omnivore excrement, such as human feces or a mixture with pig feces, is an effective and consistent method for capturing dung beetles, allowing researchers to address questions at multiple levels of ecological organization. Furthermore, the standardized application of this dung beetle sampling protocol in RAPELD plots under PPBio will enable database integration, facilitate the comparison of patterns across regions, and optimize the execution of large-scale research.

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Author Biographies

Taís Helena de Araujo Rodrigues, Grupo de Pesquisa em Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Estrada do Bexiga, nº 2584, Fonte Boa, CEP 69553-225, Tefé-AM, Brasil. e-mail: tais.rodrigues@mamiraua.org.br

Doutora em Entomologia pela Universidade Federal de Lavras, Pesquisadora do Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá
Instituição: Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá – Instituto Mamirauá

André Luiz Batista Tavares, Centro de Estudos Integrados da Biodiversidade Amazônica – INCT, Manaus, AM, Brasil.

Doutor em Entomologia pela Universidade Federal de Lavras, Pesquisador do Centro de Estudos Integrados da Biodiversidade Amazônica

Clarissa Alves da Rosa, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia – INPA, Manaus, AM, Brasil.

Doutora em Ecologia Aplicada pela Universidade Federal de Lavras, Pesquisadora do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia

Published

2025-08-19