Dung beetle diversity and functions suggest no major impacts of cattle grazing in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands

A study on the Pantanal Conservation Area reveals that cattle grazing does not significantly impact dung beetle diversity or their ecological functions, such as dung removal and soil bioturbation. Despite differences in species composition and functional groups between grazed and ungrazed grasslands, the research found no major impacts on overall abundance, richness, or biomass of dung beetles. Specifically, large roller beetles were absent from non-cattle areas, while medium rollers showed higher abundance in grazed systems. The study suggests that density compensation among functional groups may conserve ecological functions, implying that livestock production can coexist with the conservation of dung beetle communities in the Pantanal wetlands.

Correa, C. M. A., Braga, R. F., Louzada, J., & Menéndez, R. (2019). Dung beetle diversity and functions suggest no major impacts of cattle grazing in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands. Ecological Entomology, 44(4), 524–533. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.12729