The importance of dung beetles and arthropod communities on degradation of cattle dung pats in eastern South Dakota.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Dung accumulation in rangelands can suppress plant growth, foul pastures, and increase pest pressure. Here, we describe the arthropod community of dung in eastern South Dakota, and quantify their contributions to dung degradation using an exclusion cage design.

Methods

Various arthropod community and degradation characteristics were measured in caged and uncaged dung pats over time in early and late summer.

Results

A total of 86,969 specimens were collected across 109 morphospecies (13 orders) of arthropods, and cages effectively reduced arthropod abundance, species richness, and diversity. Uncaged dung pats degraded significantly faster than the caged pats, with the largest difference occurring within 2 d of pat deposition. Dung organic matter was degraded

SUBMITTER: Pecenka JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6054869 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature