@article {1780,
	title = {Shady field boundaries and the colonisation of dung by coprophagous beetles in Central American pastures},
	journal = {Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment},
	volume = {91},
	number = {1-3},
	year = {2002},
	note = {digital copy},
	month = {[print] Septembe},
	pages = {25-36},
	abstract = {This study examines how the shade from field boundaries may enhance dung decomposition in tropical pastures through its effects on coprophagous beetles. Between August 1995 and January 1998, beetles were collected using dung-baited pitfall traps at a cattle ranch in coastal El Salvador. Fifteen species were recorded throughout the study and, although some species were significantly associated with field boundaries, there were no species exclusive to the boundaries. Diurnal specialist open-field beetles arrived predominantly on the day of dung deposition whereas nocturnal generalist species colonised older dung (one species) or colonised dung for longer (three species) particularly, in the shade. The endocoprid Aphodiinae (two species) generally colonised dung that was 3-7 days old, at a time when activity of the larger paracoprid Coprini and Onthophagini had diminished. Deposition of dung in the shade of field boundaries extended the period during which it was suitable for colonisation, raising the average dung colonisation time by generalist species. The importance of shady field boundaries in dung beetle conservation and efficient dung decomposition in pasture ecosystems is discussed.},
	keywords = {Animalia-, Aphodiinae- (Coleoptera-), Aphodius-spp. (Coleoptera-), Arthropoda-, Ateuchus-rodriguezi (Coleoptera-), Canthon-in, Coleoptera-: Insecta-, Conservation-, Economic-Entomology, Environmental-Sciences), Invertebrata-, Terrestrial-Ecology (Ecology-},
	author = {Horgan, Finbarr G}
}
@article {1783,
	title = {Aggregation and coexistence of dung beetles in montane rain forest in deforested siters in central Peru},
	journal = {Journal of Tropical Ecology},
	volume = {22},
	year = {2006},
	pages = {359-370},
	abstract = {The {\textquoteleft}aggregation model of coexistence{\textquoteright} predicts that a strong and independent aggregation of species across ephemeral resource patches promotes species coexistence and maintains diversity. This study examines the role of aggregation in maintaining tropical dung beetle diversity and the effects of deforestation on aggregation patterns and diversity loss. Using clusters of pitfall traps, dung beetle aggregation was quantified in natural and disturbed habitat at nested temporal and spatial scales in central Peru. The results indicate that dung was colonized by a greater number of species, many of which were large, leading to a higher total beetle biomass in forest habitat than in deforested, farm habitat. Beetles were intraspecifically aggregated at each spatial scale examined. Habitat-type (forest/deforested) had no effect on the intensity of intra- or interspecific aggregation. Analyses of aggregation patterns revealed that dung beetle assemblages in forest habitat were generally saturated whereas in deforested habitat they were unsaturated. In general, interspecific aggregation was too weak relative to intraspecific aggregation to explain the high diversity of species in forest habitat. Other mechanisms, including resource partitioning are likely to play a greater role in maintaining the diversity of dung beetle assemblages in the region. These results also indicate that the loss of species from disturbed habitat has not been due to a breakdown in the aggregation mechanism. },
	keywords = {Aggregation model, biodiversity, biomass, coexistence, community structure, deforestation, habitat change, Peru, Scarabaeidae, species richness},
	author = {Horgan, Finbarr G}
}
@article {1785,
	title = {Dung beetle assemblages in forests and pastures of El Salvador: a functional comparison},
	journal = {Biodiversity Conservation},
	volume = {17},
	year = {2008},
	pages = {2961-2978},
	abstract = {This study examines the functional attributes of Neotropical dung beetles, and, based on the analysis, evaluates the role of dung beetles in pastures and tropical dry forest in El Salvador. Dung beetle diversity was lower in pastures than in forests. However, the total biomass of beetles at similarly-sized dung baits was frequently higher in pastures. Diversity loss followed structured patterns: (1) carrion and fruit feeding beetles were well represented (species number) in the forests but were largely absent from pastures; (2) large ball rollers and small fast tunnellers were present in forests but were absent from pastures; (3) large fast tunnellers and small slow tunnellers were poorly represented in pastures com- pared to forests but the few species that survived in pastures attained extremely high popu- lations; and (4) each functional group in the species-poor pasture assemblages was divided almost equally into day and night active species. Substrate and habitat generalists that were present in both the forests and pastures were attracted to fruit and carrion in forested habitat but not in open pastures. In open habitats, Xies and other insects may be the principal decomposers of decaying fruit and carrion. },
	keywords = {carrion, decomposition, deforestation, Diversity-function, functional groups, guilds, Scarabaeidae, tropical pastures},
	author = {Horgan, Finbarr G}
}
@article {1786,
	title = {Hooded crow foraging from dung pats: implications for the structure of dung beetle assemblages},
	journal = {Biology and Environment. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy},
	volume = {104B},
	number = {2},
	year = {2004},
	pages = {119-124},
	abstract = {The occurrence of dung beetles in the diet of hooded crows (Corvus corone cornix L.) was examined in order to identify possible biases in predation that could influence the structure of local dung beetle assemblages. Pellets and gizzards collected in southern Ireland indicated that crows fed largely on insects between March and September, and dung beetles (particularly Aphodius prodromus (Brahm)) were the most common insects in the diet in March and April. An abundance of alternative prey items, including Carabidae and Curculionidae, may have protected late summer dung beetles from intense crow predation. Small beetles (i.e. Hydrophilidae 5/2mm body length) did not occur in the pellets or gizzards and may be ignored or avoided by foraging crows. Field observations and diet analyses suggest that crows prefer to forage from fresh equine dung rather than fresh cattle dung. We suggest that such predation biases could play a role in determining dung beetle assemblage structures at microhabitat (dung type) and macrohabitat scales. },
	author = {Horgan, Finbarr G and Berrow, Simon D.}
}
