Diversity of dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea, Hydrophilidae) in mountain pastures

摘要

The diversity of the community of dung beetles was examined on three dairy farms in the Czech Republic at an altitude from 575 to 790 m a.s.l. The beetles were collected in baited traps in six sampling periods from April to October 2008. On each farmthe traps were placed in two pasture sites and in one forest site and baited simultaneously. In total thirty-nine species of coprophagous Scarabaeoidea and Hydrophilidae were recorded in the samples. There were no significant differences in species composition between farms or between pasture and forest sites. Species abundancy and Shannon index of diversity (H') did not differ between the farms (P > 0.05), but it was significantly higher in pasture than in forest sites (P < 0.01). This indicated a preference of most dung beetles for open pastures. Grazing thus substantially contributes to a diversity of dung beetles in mountains.