@article {1392,
	title = {Elephant- and human-induced changes to dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) assemblages in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {130},
	number = {4},
	year = {2006},
	note = {digital copy},
	pages = {573-583},
	abstract = {High African elephant stocking rates in nature reserves in southern Africa have been shown to have significant impacts on vegetation structure and diversity. However, the direct and indirect effects of elephants on fauna, particularly invertebrates, remain poorly known. The Maputaland Centre of Endemism, an area of southern Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, is undergoing rapid rates of habitat conversion. Sand Forest, the rarest vegetation type in the Centre, is threatened by human disturbance outside of protected areas and by elephant browsing pressure in Tembe Elephant Park, one of the few protected areas for Sand Forest. Here we examine the effects of elephant- and human-induced disturbance to Sand Forest on a functionally important component of invertebrate diversity, i.e. the dung beetle fauna. The dung beetle assemblage associated with elephant-disturbed Sand Forest was transitional between undisturbed Sand Forest and Mixed Woodland, whereas that associated with human disturbance was markedly different to either habitat type. Differences are attributed to a change in habitat structure under both disturbance types, as well as to changes in the quality and distribution of dung under human disturbance. Therefore, grazing impacts by elephant not only affect plant diversity, but also implement changes in invertebrate fauna. The maintenance of the integrity of the Sand Forest-Mixed Woodland matrix is considered critical for biodiversity conservation in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. Management of elephant populations, as well as the protection of sufficient Sand Forest inside conservation areas must, therefore, necessarily form part of the conservation strategy for the Centre.},
	keywords = {Carrying capacity, Conservation management, Habitat conversion, insect conservation, Protected areas},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V5X-4JFHF93-2/2/aad311f83853c5773cd1b226991ad566 },
	author = {Botes, Antoinette and McGeoch, Melodie A. and van Rensburg, Berndt J.}
}
@article {1430,
	title = {Changes in food resources and conservation of scarab beetles: from sheep to dog dung in a green urban area of Rome (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea)},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {123},
	number = {4},
	year = {2005},
	note = {digital and hard copy},
	month = {Jun},
	pages = {547-556},
	abstract = {The aim of the research was to show how a change in land use influences the structure of a dung beetle assemblage and affect its conservation. In the Pineto Urban Regional Park (Rome), dog dung is the sole food resource currently available for scarab dung beetles, after the recent removal of wild and domestic herbivores. A one-year sampling was conducted to study the scarab assemblage in dog scats (1999) and to compare it with the previous assemblage associated with sheep droppings (1986). Richness, evenness and similarity parameters were compared between the two allochronic assemblages. From sheep to dog dung, an impoverishment of the total richness was observed (from 19 to 9 species) together with an increase of individuals (by 7 times). Dog dung harboured 20\% of the current scarab dung beetle fauna of Rome, probably as a consequence of the dog mixed diet, rich in cellulose. Both the communities showed a high percentage of tunnellers, probably because of the food shortage and, for dog scats, of the high dehydration rate. A comparison with other Roman scarab communities enhanced that: (1) the change in food resource determined a higher difference in species composition respect to other parameters (size and habitat diversity); (2) dog dung provided a temporary refuge for species that otherwise may encounter local extinction in urban environments. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
	keywords = {20th-century, abundance, assemblage, biodiversity conservatiom, Carabidae, colonization, communities, community ecology, competition, diversity, dung beetle assemblages, food, habitats mammals, netherlands, resources, urban ecology},
	url = {<Go to ISI>://000227958600012 },
	author = {Carpaneto, Giuseppe M. and Mazziotta, Adriano and Piattella, Emanuele}
}
@article {1446,
	title = {Potential distribution modelling, niche characterization and conservation status assessment using GIS tools: a case study of Iberian Copris species},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {122},
	year = {2005},
	pages = {327-338},
	abstract = {Dung beetle populations, in decline, play a critical ecological role in extensive pasture ecosystems by recycling organic matter; thus the importance of their conservation status. Presence data available for Copris hispanus (L.) and Copris lunaris (L.) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) in Comunidad de Madrid (CM), and BIOMAPPER, a GIS-based tool, was used to model their environmental niches. The so derived potential distributions of both species were used to exemplify the utility of this kind of methodologies in conservation assessment, as well as its capacity to describe the potential sympatry between two or more species. Both species, distributed along a Dry-Mediterranean to Wet-Alpine environmental conditions gradient, overlap in areas of moderate temperatures and mean annual precipitations in the north of CM. Copris are poorly conserved in the existing protected sites network, but protection provided by new sites included in the future Natura 2000 Network will improve the general conservation status of these species in CM. =},
	keywords = {Copris, Dung beetle conservation, GIS predictive niche-modelling, Iberian Peninsula, Species distribution},
	author = {Chefaoui, Rosa M. and Hortal, Joaquin and Lobo, Jorge M.}
}
@article {1557,
	title = {Conservation and the low population density of invertebrates insde neotropical rainforest},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {7},
	year = {1975},
	pages = {3-15},
	keywords = {Dung beetles},
	author = {Elton, C. S.}
}
@article {1838,
	title = {Relative efficiency of extensive grazing vs. wild ungulates management for dung beetle conservation in a heterogeneous landscape from Southern Europe (Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae)},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {141},
	year = {2008},
	pages = {2879-2887},
	abstract = {The goal of this paper is to evaluate the relative efficiency of two strategies that favour dung beetles conservation (Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae) in Southern Europe: exten- sive grazing and wild ungulate management. We conducted a study in the French Ce ́ vennes national park/UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve where dung beetles are distributed in a dichotomous sheep (grasslands, shrublands) and deer (clearings, shrublands, forests) drop- pings dominating abroad landscape. Natural sheep droppings and deer lumps dung beetle assemblages have been sampled two consecutive years during spring, summer and autumn in five representative habitats. This sampling of natural assemblages allowed for the estimation of (i) the density of trophic resource in the habitats, (ii) the regional dung beetle fauna and the distribution of species among the habitats and (iii) the density of bee- tles in natural droppings and the evenness of assemblages. High diversity, high species density in droppings and high evenness were observed in grazed shrubland, whereas fewer species were observed in deer lumps. Our results clearly showed that, while wild ungulates manure is not enough to ensure the conservation of the regional dung beetle species pool, the spatial habitat heterogeneity of grazed shrubland allows the local coexistence of numerous species. Consequently, one may expect that the conservation of European dung beetle fauna, especially Scarabaeinae and several long lifetime species, could be enhanced by extensive grazing. },
	keywords = {assemblage, dung beetle, land-use, Pastureland, Southern Europe},
	author = {Jay-Robert, Pierre and Niogret, Jerome and Errouissi, Faiek and Labarussias, Maureen and Paoletti, Eleonore and Vazques Luis, Maite and Lumaret, Jean-Pierre}
}
@article {1922,
	title = {Decline of roller dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) populations in the Iberian peninsula during the 20th century},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {97},
	number = {1},
	year = {2001},
	note = {Using Smart Source ParsingArticleEnglish},
	pages = {43-50},
	abstract = {A historical compilation of data on roller dung beetle occurrence in the Iberian peninsula was examined for temporal changes between the first and second half of the 20th century. Analysis of changes in the relative frequency of database records, individuals and 10-km UTM cells where the beetles occurred showed a decline in the occurrence of nine of the eleven species. A comparison of latitudinal and longitudinal mid-points of the 10-km UTM cells where each species occurs indicated that the range of most roller dung beetles in the Iberian peninsula has also contracted. Before 1950 a significant, positive and curvilinear relationship was found between the number of roller dung beetles and the area of coastal environments (sea, dunes, beaches and marshes); while in the second half of the 20th century the number of "roller" species is positively correlated with artificial pastureland and scrub areas. It is suggested that urban development of the coastal zones for tourism since 1950 has probably contributed greatly to the disappearance of many roller populations. It is recommended that some of the more affected species of roller dung beetles should be considered for inclusion among protected invertebrates.},
	keywords = {Animalia-, Animals-, Arthropoda-, Arthropods-, Coleoptera-: Insecta-, Iberian-Peninsula (Europe-, Insects-, Invertebrata-, Invertebrates-, Palearctic, Population-Studies, roller-dung-beetle (Coleoptera-): Scarabaeinae-, Wildlife-Management (Conservation-)},
	author = {Lobo, Jorge M.}
}
@article {2012,
	title = {Anthropogenic determinants of primate and carnivore local extinctions in a fragmented forest landscape of southern Amazonia},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {124},
	year = {2005},
	note = {digital copy},
	pages = {383{\textendash}396},
	keywords = {Amazonia, fragmentation, mammal, mammals},
	author = {Michalski, F and Peres, CA. . .  124: .}
}
@article {2072,
	title = {Global dung beetle response to tropical forest modification and fragmentation: A quantitative literature review and meta-analysis},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {137},
	number = {1},
	year = {2007},
	pages = {1-19},
	abstract = {Although insects are crucial for maintaining ecosystem function, our understanding of their overall response to human activity remains limited. This is no less true of dung-burying beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), which provide a suite of critical ecosystem functions and services, yet but face multiple conservation threats, particularly from landscape conversion. Here we use a review and meta-analysis to synthesize the current knowledge concerning response to tropical forest modification and fragmentation of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). For every modified habitat type and individual forest fragment across 33 studies, we calculated six dung beetle community parameters, standardized relative to intact tropical forest. We organized modified habitats along an approximate disturbance gradient ranging from selectively logged, late and early secondary forest, through agroforestry, tree plantations, to annual crops, cattle pastures and clear-cuts. Secondary forests, selectively logged forest and agroforests supported rich communities with many intact forest species, while cattle pastures and clear-cuts contained fewer species overall with few forest-dwelling species. Abundance generally declined with increasing modification, but was quite variable. Communities in open habitats were often characterized by hyper-abundance of a small number of small-bodied species, leading to low evenness. Across fragmentation studies, dung beetle species richness, abundance and evenness declined in smaller forest fragments. Richness and abundance sometimes declined in more isolated fragments, although this response appeared to depend on matrix quality. Across both habitat modification and fragmentation studies, geographic location and landscape context appeared to modify dung beetle response by influencing the available pool of colonists. We discuss potential underlying mechanisms and conclude with recommendations for management and conservation and for future research.},
	keywords = {Agroforestry, community ecology, deforestation, Invertebrate, Land-use change, Scarabaeinae},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V5X-4ND710H-1/2/3d7a5f4362824647199ebdfd5821fa14 },
	author = {Nichols, E. and Larsen, T. and Spector, S. and Davis, A. L. and Escobar, F. and Favila, M. and Vulinec, K.}
}
@article {2073,
	title = {Ecological functions and ecosystem services of Scarabaeine dung beetles: a review},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {141},
	number = {6},
	year = {2008},
	pages = {1461-1474},
	keywords = {dung beetle, ecological economics, ecosystem function, ecosystem service, human health},
	author = {Nichols, E. and Spector, S. and Louzada, J and Larsen, T. and Amezquita, S and Favila, M. and The Scarabaeinae Reaearch Network}
}
@article {2175,
	title = {Comparison of Coleoptera assemblages from a recently burned and unburned black spruce forests of northeastern North America},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {118},
	number = {5},
	year = {2004},
	note = {828TZBIOL CONSERV},
	month = {Aug},
	pages = {583-592},
	abstract = {Several insect groups have adapted to fire cycles in boreal forests, and can efficiently use new habitats created by fire. Our study aimed at producing a first characterization of post- fire Coleoptera assemblages of black spruce forests of eastern North America. For two years, we sampled Coleoptera using flight-interception traps in burned stands of contrasting age and structure in a 5097-ha wildfire and in neighbouring unburned mature stands. More than 40 species were exclusively captured in burned stands. Time elapsed since fire and proximity of unburned forests were the most significant parameters affecting Coleoptera assemblages. Stand age and structure had limited effects on assemblage structure; the Scolytid Polygraphus rufipennis Kirby was the only common species to clearly favor older stands. Fire-associated Coleoptera assemblages found in our study area were clearly distinct from those found in similar unburned stands; we should thus be conservative in our management approach concerning recently burned stands. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
	keywords = {forest change biodiversity dung beetles},
	url = {<Go to ISI>://000221997500003},
	author = {Saint-Germain, M. and Drapeau, P. and Hebert, C.}
}
@article {2223,
	title = {Influence of dense stands of an exotic tree, Prosopis glandulosa Benson, on a savanna dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) assemblage in southern Africa},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {78},
	year = {1996},
	pages = {305-311},
	keywords = {bush encroachment, invasive plant, mesquite, rare species, Scarabaeidae},
	author = {Steenkamp, H. E. and Chown, Steven L.}
}
@article {2257,
	title = {Conservation of heterogeneity among dung beetles in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism, South Africa},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {88},
	number = {2},
	year = {1999},
	note = {162JRBIOL CONSERV},
	month = {May},
	pages = {145-153},
	abstract = {In southern Africa the Maputaland Centre is one of the most significant, though less well-known, centres of biotic endemism. Here we examine variation in dung beetle assemblages between habitats and between reserves on two Maputaland reserves (Tembe Elephant Park and Sileza Nature Reserve). Dung beetle assemblages were found to be homogeneous within habitat types and within reserves, but assemblages differed between habitat types (Sand Forest and Mixed Woodland). There was, however, significant between-reserve heterogeneity in dung beetle assemblages for each particular habitat type. Given that there are significant differences in both dung beetles and plants, it is clear that these forests must be conserved in both Tembe and Sileza, especially because of increasing damage by elephants to Sand Forests in Tembe. We identify dung beetle indicator species that are specific to each habitat type in each reserve, and detector species that can be used to monitor changes in Sand Forests in those reserves. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.},
	keywords = {Dung beetles},
	url = {<Go to ISI>://000078342900001},
	author = {Van Rensburg, B. J. and McGeoch, M. A. and Chown, S. L. and Van Jaarsveld, A. S.}
}
@article {2279,
	title = {Grazing promotes dung beetle diversity in the xeric landscape of a Mexican Biosphere Reserve},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {140},
	year = {2007},
	pages = {308-317},
	abstract = {We analyze the impact of grazing on dung beetle diversity at the Barranca de Metztitla ́ n Biosphere Reserve, a xeric ecosystem in central Mexico with a long history of use by humans. We compared the community structure, as well as the alpha and beta diversity between two cover conditions (open and closed vegetation) that represent the impact of grazing within a habitat, and between habitat types (submountainous and crassicaule scrublands). From 576 samples we collected 75,605 dung beetles belonging to 20 taxa. While mean species richness and diversity were different between habitat types, cumulative spe- cies richness was not. The effects of grazing on vegetation structure influenced the cumu- lative species richness and diversity of dung beetles in the submountainous scrubland, where grazing has created land mosaics of a grassland matrix with scrubland patches. This was not the case in the crassicaule scrubland where the impact of grazing is not as evident. Beta diversity significantly responds to the effects of grazing on habitat conditions. We dis- cuss the ecological factors that may promote these responses by landscape diversity com- ponents. We also identify the species that could act as useful indicators to monitor the effect of land management on biodiversity. Our results indicate cattle farming maintains a diversified land mosaic, and these areas support more diverse dung beetle ensembles than homogeneous areas of closed, shrubby vegetation cover. Thus, controlled grazing activity could certainly favour the conservation of dung beetle biodiversity and improve ecosystem functioning by maintaining dung decomposition rates. },
	keywords = {Alpha and beta diversity, Aphodiinae, Barranca de Metztitlan, indicator species, Land mosaics, Scarabaeidae},
	author = {Verdu, Jose R. and Moreno, Claudia E. and Sanchez-Rojas, Gerardo and Numa, Catherine and Galante, Eduardo and Halffter, Gonzalo}
}
@article {2355,
	title = {Competition and compensation among cattle, zebras, and elephants in a semi-arid savanna in Laikipia, Kenya},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {122},
	number = {2},
	year = {2005},
	note = {880VOBIOL CONSERV},
	month = {Mar},
	pages = {351-359},
	abstract = {Competition and compatibility between livestock and wildlife in Africa has been a point of considerable speculation, with implications for conservation. However, controlled replicated experiments are lacking. Here we report on the results of a long-term exclosure experiment in Laikipia, Kenya, in which different guilds of large mammalian herbivores have been independently manipulated since 1995. In plots from which cattle were excluded, the density of zebra dung in 2000 was on average 46\% greater than in control plots. This was due to differential zebra use, and not to differential rates of dung removal (by dung beetles or other factors). Vegetation data indicate that cattle fully compensate for the absence of wildlife; all plots accessible to cattle had similarly low grass cover. However. wildlife do not fully compensate for the absence of cattle; plots with only wildlife had more grass cover than plots accessible to cattle. Zebra dung density was strongly correlated with total grass cover, suggesting that zebras are effectively tracking resource abundance. There is also evidence of pair-wise competition between cattle and elephants, and between elephants and zebras. The strong competition between cattle and zebras appears to be mitigated by the presence of elephants. A significant cattle x elephant interaction on the abundance of zebra dung indicates that elephants reduce the negative effects of cattle on zebras. In the presence of cattle. elephants facilitate the abundance of zebra, apparently by suppressing resource extraction (bite rates) by cattle. The precise mechanism for this indirect facilitation is not clear, but it may be related to the demonstrated reduction in forb cover associated with elephant presence. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
	keywords = {Dung beetles},
	url = {<Go to ISI>://000225818100017},
	author = {Young, T. P. and Palmer, T. A. and Gadd, M. E.}
}
@article {2357,
	title = {Species richness in Mediterranean agroecosystems: spatial and temporal analysis for biodiversity conservation},
	journal = {Biological Conservation},
	volume = {134},
	year = {2007},
	pages = {113-121},
	abstract = {We used dung beetles as an indicator group to identify the most important habitats for bio- diversity conservation in a Mediterranean traditional agroecosystem. The relationships between traditional grazing and farming activities and biodiversity were analysed by com- paring species richness and temporal turnover across three different habitat types, defined according to vegetation structure and human land use. In this study, both spatial (land- scape, among-habitats) and temporal (intra-annual, seasonal) analyses were contemplated at mesoscale. The measurement and use of temporal beta diversity (i.e. an index of temporal species turnover) in conservation biology showed that it is a simple method to characterize and compare different habitat species-assemblages, particularly when time seems to be a sig- nificant factor in explaining biodiversity features. Our results showed open mosaic areas as the richest and most temporally heteroge- neous habitats. We suggest the maintenance of traditional human activities carried out in these areas, since they have been a significant diversification agent, to avoid the loss of the high Mediterranean biological diversity. },
	keywords = {agroecosystem, biodiversity, conservation, Dung beetles, Mountainous Mediterranean, Temporal turnover measures},
	author = {Zamora, Jorge and Verdu, Jose R. and Galante, Eduardo}
}
