00697nas a2200193   4500008004100000245010000041210006900141300001500210490000700225653001600232653001600248653002300264653002300287653001500310653001700325100002400342700002100366856011600387       2003                        eng d00aThe effects of the intensification of agriculture on northern temperate dung beetle communities0 aeffects of the intensification of agriculture on northern temper  a994–10070 v4010aagriculture10adung beetle10aecosystem function10aecosystem services10apesticides10aScarabaeinae1 aHutton, Stephen, A.1 aGiller, Paul, S.  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/effects-intensification-agriculture-northern-temperate-dung-beetle-communities02557nas a2200205   4500008004100000245005000041210004900091300001400140490000700154520195500161653002702116653002102143653001702164100001802181700002102199700001702220700001502237700001702252856008202269       2003                        eng d00aDung and nest surveys: estimating decay rates0 aDung and nest surveys estimating decay rates  a1102-11110 v403 a1. Wildlife managers often require estimates of abundance. Direct methods of estima- tion are often impractical, especially in closed-forest environments, so indirect methods such as dung or nest surveys are increasingly popular. 2. Dung and nest surveys typically have three elements: surveys to estimate abundance of the dung or nests; experiments to estimate the production (defecation or nest con- struction) rate; and experiments to estimate the decay or disappearance rate. The last of these is usually the most problematic, and was the subject of this study. 3. The design of experiments to allow robust estimation of mean time to decay was addressed. In most studies to date, dung or nests have been monitored until they dis- appear. Instead, we advocate that fresh dung or nests are located, with a single follow- up visit to establish whether the dung or nest is still present or has decayed. 4. Logistic regression was used to estimate probability of decay as a function of time, and possibly of other covariates. Mean time to decay was estimated from this function. 5. Synthesis and applications.  Effective management of mammal populations usually requires reliable abundance estimates. The difficulty in estimating abundance of mam- mals in forest environments has increasingly led to the use of indirect survey methods, in which abundance of sign, usually dung (e.g. deer, antelope and elephants) or nests (e.g. apes), is estimated. Given estimated rates of sign production and decay, sign abundance estimates can be converted to estimates of animal abundance. Decay rates typically vary according to season, weather, habitat, diet and many other factors, making reliable estimation of mean time to decay of signs present at the time of the survey problematic. We emphasize the need for retrospective rather than prospective rates, propose a strategy for survey design, and provide analysis methods for estimating retrospective rates. 10adecay rate experiments10aindirect surveys10asign surveys1 aLaing, S., E.1 aBuckland, S., T.1 aBurn, R., W.1 aLambie, D.1 aAmphlett, A.  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/dung-and-nest-surveys-estimating-decay-rates03427nas a2200169   4500008004100000245014000041210006900181260000800250300001200258490000700270520284500277653004603122100001803168700001503186700002203201856003403223       2003                        eng d00aComparing biodiversity between protected areas and adjacent rangeland in xeric succulent thicket, South Africa: arthropods and reptiles0 aComparing biodiversity between protected areas and adjacent rang  cApr  a392-4030 v403 a1. Although it is widely assumed that protected areas conserve species that would not survive elsewhere, this assumption is seldom tested. The aim of the study was to determine the respective roles of a nature reserve and commercial and subsistence rangeland in preserving terrestrial arthropods and reptiles in xeric succulent thicket in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. 2. Faunal diversity on a nature reserve (the Great Fish River Reserve Complex) was compared with a historically overgrazed commercial farm, an intensively managed, conservatively stocked commercial farm and a communal grazing area. Terrestrial arthropods and reptiles were caught in paired pitfall traps inside and outside the nature reserve, specimens being sorted into recognizable taxonomic units (RTU). The taxa occurring in each land management unit were compared using RTU diversity, a hierarchical richness index (HRI), community similarity and uniqueness. 3. The nature reserve contained more RTU and a greater HRI than adjacent land for most arthropod groups, and also supported more unique taxa than the other study localities. 4. Snakes and lizards, in contrast, were almost twice as abundant in the communal grazing area as elsewhere, although reptile species diversity was similar at all localities. 5. Each individual locality contained fewer than 62% of the total number of arthropod RTU and 55% of the total reptile RTU; the communal grazing area contained only 37% of the total number of arthropod RTU collected in the study area. 6. Nineteen (73%) of the ant, 18 (69%) of the weevil, 60 (70%) of the spider and 12 (60%) of the grasshopper RTU and 10 (66%) of the reptiles were shared by the three land uses. Six new weevil species and probably several new arachnid species were collected, but all the new weevils were confined to the nature reserve. 7. The communal grazing area differed most from the nature reserve in richness and community composition, followed by the conservatively stocked commercial farm. The historically overgrazed commercial farm was most similar to the nature reserve. 8. The communal grazing area was characterized by xeric-adapted reptiles and predatory arthropods whose ranges are centred in the semi-arid parts of South Africa. In contrast, the nature reserve and commercial farms supported more mesic-adapted reptiles and herbivorous arthropods. 9. Synthesis and applications. The data show how protected areas are key to conserving those species that decrease under heavily grazed and disturbed conditions. However, they also illustrate that diverse land-use mosaics promote gamma diversity in the xeric succulent thicket of South Africa. Conservation policies that include protected space in the wider environment and conserve habitat diversity are likely to both promote regional richness and support scarce species.10adung beetles herpetology disturbance read1 aFabricius, C.1 aBurger, M.1 aHockey, P., A. R.  u<Go to ISI>://000182118700017