Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2010. / Directed by Jan Rychtar; submitted to the Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jul. 5, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-57).

Spirocercosis is a canine disease caused by the nematode parasite Spirocerca lupi (Rudolphi, 1809) (Spirurida: Spirocercidae) and is a potentially fatal condition in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). The larval life cycle of this parasite involves intermediate and paratenic (transport) hosts. Various species of coprophagous dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) serve as the principle intermediate hosts. Despite extraordinary advances in biomedical research, it is unlikely that these alone will alleviate the burden of this parasitic disease in dogs. Recently, there has been growing concern over the upsurge in incidence and reported cases of spirocercosis in domestic dogs in South Africa. There is a plethora of literature on the clinical, diagnostic and epidemiological aspects of this disease in dogs, yet no study has aimed at fully understanding the dynamic interactions between the various hosts and S. lupi, governed by the consequences of their behaviour under different and ever-changing environmental conditions. It is most likely that the impact of this disease is accentuated by constant changes in human demographics and behaviour. Studies on spirocercosis in dogs have considered the consumption of the various paratenic hosts or the deliberate ingestion of dung beetles to be the main cause of the transmission of S. lupi to dogs. However this study suggests that the coprohagous behaviour of dogs and the subsequent accidental ingestion of coprophagous dung beetles in or on faeces are mainly responsible for the transmission of this parasitic nematode to dogs. Changes in urban land use and subsequent changes along urban-rural gradients influence the nature of biological interactions partly due to changes in species assemblage structure and composition. Such alterations in assemblage structure of species pose a particular risk to altered rates of parasitism and disease transmission. It is concluded that these changes in landscape use coupled to altered dung beetle species assemblage structure have influenced the pattern of events observed in this host – parasite relationship. Furthermore, the social organization of domestic dogs (pets versus feral animals) and the availability of exposed excrement as a direct or indirect consequence of human behaviour played a pivotal role in the rate these parasites are transmitted to dogs. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

Alpacas have been gaining prominence in the U.S. since the early 1980s. In pastures, dung beetle activity has been shown to enhance the degradation and incorporation of dung into the soil. The benefits of this activity have been quantified for cattle, but not for alpacas. The objectives of this study were to document the dung beetle species present in alpaca pastures, and to evaluate the impact of dung beetle activity on the growth of a common summer annual grass. In 2010 and 2011, dung beetle species present in alpaca pastures located at Virginia State University (VSU), were evaluated weekly from late May until late August. Eleven species of dung beetles were found, with Onthophagus taurus Schreber being the most dominant. In 2011, a greenhouse study was conducted at Virginia Tech's Southern Piedmont Research Station. Treatments included a control (no dung, no beetles), dung only, dung with five pairs of O. taurus, and dung that was allowed to be colonized in alpaca pastures at VSU. The addition of O. taurus and the field colonization both significantly increased total yield over the no dung control by 10% and 14%, respectively. These results indicate that healthy and diverse dung beetle communities occur in alpaca pastures in the mid-Atlantic region, and that the presence of these beetles would likely enhance nutrient cycling and pasture growth. However, it is important to remember that dung beetles are just one component of many found in a healthy grassland ecosystem, and the functions of these components are interrelated. / Master of Science

Investigating the extent of local scale heterogeneity in assemblages is necessary to achieve a sound understanding of the processes giving rise to local assemblage patterns and the variation between them. Moreover, a clear understanding of local scale heterogeneity of assemblages is imperative in the development of effective regional conservation strategies. Previous studies examined the local scale heterogeneity in dung beetle assemblages between mixed woodland and sand forest habitats in Tembe Elephant Park, KwaZulu-Natal. Sand forest is an endangered habitat type in southern Africa which, when disturbed, opens up and changes towards mixed woodland. Reversion to the original sand forest structure after disturbance has never been recorded. Dung beetle assemblages were found to be homogenous within, but significantly heterogenous between, habitat types. It was therefore suggested that disturbance of sand forest (elephant foraging inside, and human occupation outside the Park) was likely to affect the assemblage structure of dung beetles in sand forest. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of human- and elephant-induced disturbance on dung beetle assemblages in sand forest. Furthermore, disturbed sand forest dung beetle assemblages were predicted to be more similar to mixed woodland than to undisturbed sand forest assemblages. Disturbance by elephants causes sand forest vegetation structure to change to that of mixed woodland and this resulted in elephant-disturbed sand forest dung beetle assemblages becoming more similar to mixed woodland assemblages. Assemblages in human disturbed sand forest were unique and associated with human-related activities. The reliability and predictability of dung beetle indicator (species specific to a particular habitat type) and detector species (species indicative of the direction of habitat change) identified for Tembe in a previous study were tested. The results of this study largely supported the suite of bioindicator species first identified. Detector species were found to provide information complimentary to the indicator species and vegetation data available for sand forest. In addition, an identification key for the dung beetle species collected in Tembe Elephant Park to date was compiled. This key facilitates the use of dung beetle assemblages in indicator and monitoring systems in this reserve by providing a rapid and effective means of identifying the dung beetle species. The abundance-body size relationships of the dung beetle assemblages in mixed woodland, undisturbed and disturbed sand forests were also determined. Four hypotheses that account for the relationship between body size and abundance or its variants, were tested here, namely the energy equivalence rule, interspecific competition, differential extinction, and the biomass frequency distribution hypothesis. The disturbed sand forest assemblages were used to test whether disturbance alters the relationships between the macroecological variables (i.e. body size, abundance and biomass) and their interrelationships. This study provided some support for the biomass hypothesis. The major relationship between body size and abundance held despite human- and elephant-induced disturbance. Nonetheless, this study indicates that human- and elephant-induced disturbance alter sand forest dung beetle assemblages and may have significant implications for other taxa that occupy this endangered habitat type. Monitoring of the impacts of large herbivores on sand forest in reserves should thus be continued, and dung beetles provide one effective means by which this can be achieved. / Dissertation (MSc (Entomology))--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The mechanisms of dung inhabiting insects' heterotrophic succession were studied by preventing the colonisation of early successional insect. The early successional insect, predominantly the large larvae of Calyptratae Diptera, both facilitated and inhibited the later establishing insect. Whereas the removal of early successional species affected negatively the late successional Coleoptera (facilitation), the small late successional larvae of Acalyptratae Diptera were affected positively (inhibition). The patterns retrieved from the heterotrophic succession strongly resemble the patterns retrieved from the autotrophic, mostly plant, succession Therefore it is possible to suggest, that similar mechanisms are behind both the autotrophic and the heterotrophic succession.

<ul><li>As the human population expands, agricultural expansion and intensification will exert an increasing pressure on remaining habitats, especially in the tropics. Oil palm is one of the most rapidly expanding crops in these regions, and identifying management strategies that conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services in these landscapes is therefore a priority. I assess whether riparian forest fragments (riparian reserves) conserve species and the functions they support within oil palm landscapes. Riparian forests are legally required for their beneficial impact on hydrological dynamics and their potential to contribute to the conservation of terrestrial species is poorly documented. I focussed on two ecologically important indicator groups (ants and dung beetles) and the ecosystem processes that they support. Whilst protecting primary forest will remain the most important strategy for biodiversity conservation, I found that riparian reserves do support species of ants and dung beetles that would not otherwise persist in oil palm landscapes. However, the extent to which riparian reserves maintained key ecological functions differed between these two taxa. The amount of nutrient distribution carried out by ants in riparian reserves was similar to logged forest areas, and higher than in oil palm. In contrast, dung removal functions did not vary between these land uses. I also investigated how the vegetation structure and landscape context of riparian reserves affects the dung beetle communities they support. Increasing reserve width and proximity to other forest fragments had a positive impact on the species richness and diversity of dung beetles in riparian reserves. There was little evidence that riparian reserves enhance the provision of dung removal or pest control services in adjacent areas of oil palm. >The results provide evidence to support the introduction and/or enforcement of legislation to protect riparian forest reserves in order to conserve biodiversity and ecological processes in oil palm landscapes.

Les assemblages d'espèces colonisatrices des déjections constituent des systèmes d'étude intéressants de par la nature de la ressource exploitée et de par le rôle qu'ils exercent dans les écosystèmes pâturés. Une grande diversité d'espèces d'insectes, principalement des diptères et des coléoptères, colonisent les bouses et contribuent à leur disparition, permettant un apport en nutriments au pâturage. Comprendre le lien entre ces différentes espèces et les fonctions écologiques réalisées représente donc un enjeu afin de préserver ce système et d'en assurer son bon fonctionnement. Certaines molécules administrées comme endectocides au bétail, comme l'ivermectine, impactent la structure de la communauté coprophile par leurs effets toxiques sur certains groupes comme les Sepsidae. Bien que leurs effets se soient montrés significatifs sur l'émergence des insectes coprophiles, la disparition des bouses ne s'en est pas trouvée affectée. Il convient alors de rester prudent sur les effets à long terme de ce type de molécules, même si à court terme les effets ne paraissent pas pertinents. La première semaine est essentielle à la bonne dégradation des bouses par l'action d'une première vague de colonisation par les insectes coprophages, tandis qu'en seconde semaine la colonisation par les prédateurs en réduit la vitesse. L'ensemble de la communauté coprophile ne permet donc pas d'accélérer le processus de recyclage des bouses. Une augmentation des effectifs de bousiers accélère la disparition des bouses et indirectement favorise la minéralisation de la litière dans le sol. Toutes les espèces ne contribuent pas équitablement au fonctionnement du système. Les plus gros fouisseurs enterrent des quantités plus importantes de matière fécale, facilitant ainsi les échanges de nutriments entre le sol et la déjection. D'importantes pistes restent à développer concernant les facteurs influençant la colonisation et les interactions entre les organismes afin de pouvoir utiliser les bousiers comme bioindicateurs pour en mesurer les services rendus. / Assemblages of species colonizing droppings constitute interesting systems for study due to the nature of the resource they exploit and the role they exert in the grazed ecosystems. A wide diversity of insects, mainly flies and beetles, colonize dung pats and contribute to their disappearance allowing a contribution in nutrients to the pasture. Understanding the relationship between these species and the ecological functions they perform represents therefore a stake to maintain this system and ensure its proper functioning. Some molecules administered as endectocides to livestock, such as ivermectin, impact the coprophile community structure by their toxic effects on certain taxonomic groups such as Sepsidae. Although their effects are significant on the emergence of coprophilous insects, dung disappearance was not affected. It is then advisable to remain careful on the long-term effects of this type of chemicals, even if the short-term effects are not relevant. The first week of colonization by the wave of coprophagous insects appear essential for complete dung degradation while the second week of colonization by predators reduced the speed of degradation. Therefore the whole coprophilous community does not accelerate the process of recycling dung. An increase of the numbers of dung beetles accelerates the disappearance of dung pats and the loss of litter in the soil. However, all species do not contribute in the same manner to the functioning of the system. The largest tunnelers bury larger amounts of fecal matter and thus they facilitate exchange of nutrients between soil and dung. Important trails remain to be developed concerning the factors influencing colonization and the interactions between organisms before to be able to use dung beetles as bioindicators and to measure their services.

Sexual selection is ubiquitous in all sexually reproducing species and a powerful evolutionary force. The effect of sexual selection on population fitness has caused wide debate and has been proposed to both enhance adaptation rates, but also possibly increase extinction risk. Using experimental evolution, the strength of sexual selection was altered by biasing adult sex ratios in replicated populations of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella. Under increasing temperatures strong sexual selection and polyandry was associated with increased population fitness. Suggesting sexual selection could provide a buffer against climate change by increasing adaptation rates. However, no effect on male mating success was observed. In contrast, under stable temperatures male mating success was increased by strong sexual selection, however, this did not translate to increased population fitness. These results indicate that female choice is a potentially strong selective pressure in P. interpunctella. Moreover, under stabilising and directional selection the costs and benefits of sexual selection change. In a field study, dung beetle species richness and abundance were compared across a gradient of habitat disturbance, ranging from old-growth rainforest to oil palm plantation. Species persistence within altered habitats was positively associated with expressing horns and relative horn lengths, suggesting male-male competition increases a species ability to persist within modified landscapes. There was not a strong effect of relative testes mass or sexual size dimorphism on the abundance of species. Additionally, by examining the expression of sexually selected traits within species, horn length and testes mass appear to be condition dependent, but only the expression of horns was effected by habitat change. Overall, from both laboratory and field studies it was found that sexual selection can increase adaptation rates and the persistence of species within altered and changing environments. Moreover, both sets of studies suggest pre-copulatory sexual selection to be an important aspect of sexual selection in driving this adaptation.

Land-use change has become a force of global importance and has gained status as the most important driver of ecosystem degradation. The resulting creation of habitat edges has pervasive impacts on the distribution and persistence of species in forest ecosystems. Responses of species to edge effects can be highly dependent on ‘response’ traits, which may in turn co-vary with ‘effect’ traits that determine rates of ecosystem functioning. Therefore, non-random loss of species due to traits conferring higher susceptibility to extinction may also result in the loss of functionally-important species across a habitat edge gradient. Likewise, response and effect traits may be important in determining reassembly of communities in regenerating habitats, which may provide insight into potential scenarios of functional responses to restoration efforts. To test for potential off-site effects of adjacent matrix habitat restoration on dung beetle communities, I compared dung beetle community structure and species trait composition across Afromontane forest edges adjacent to degraded and regenerating matrix habitat at Ngel Nyaki forest reserve in Nigeria. I also measured dung removal rates across habitat edge gradients to investigate the relative off-site impacts of matrix restoration on dung beetle-mediated ecosystem processes. I found significant effects of adjacent matrix condition on edge response functions in dung beetle abundance, species distributions, and trait composition. Beetle abundances were markedly higher in forests adjacent to regenerating matrix, whereas the largest differences in trait composition were found between degraded and regenerating matrix habitat, indicating the presence of ecological filtering processes in these areas. Furthermore, I found that species traits determined community structural responses to environmental change and this had strong flow-on effects to rates of dung removal. Shifts in trait distributions explained dung removal rates above and beyond total beetle mass, suggesting that neutral processes alone could not explain functional efficiency. In particular, habitat regeneration resulted in the assembly of communities with high total beetle mass and on-average smaller beetles, which was optimal for functional efficiency. In conclusion, the restoration of adjacent matrix habitat was shown to effectively mitigate edge effects on dung beetle community structure resulting in the re-establishment of important associated ecosystem processes.

Submitted by Haroudo Xavier Filho (haroudo.xavierfo@ufpe.br) on 2016-03-23T17:53:25Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertacao_Fabio Correia Costa.pdf: 5363839 bytes, checksum: 5a61b945fc8ff2be76123636ab5e5fff (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-23T17:53:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertacao_Fabio Correia Costa.pdf: 5363839 bytes, checksum: 5a61b945fc8ff2be76123636ab5e5fff (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-19 / CNPq / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo revisar o subgênero Malagoniella e buscar uma hipótese da monofilia do grupo, assim como do relacionamento filogenético entre suas espécies. O primeiro capítulo aborda a análise filogenética do subgênero, para a qual foi utilizado o programa TNT, versão 1.1. Dichotomius bicuspis foi o grupo externo terminal utilizado para o enraizamento das análises. Para a árvore gerada (min. length = 0) foram calculados os valores de índice de consistência (IC) e índice de retenção (IR), e, para verificar o apoio dos clados, uma análise de “Bremer”, e “Bootstrap” como indicador de conflito entre os caracteres foram realizados. O subgênero Malagoniella foi considerado monofilético, sustentado por duas sinapomorfias e consta, a partir dos resultados alcançados, de 11 espécies e subespécies. O segundo capítulo inclui a revisão do subgênero, incluindo as redescrições em Malagoniella (Malagoniella) e novo status taxonômico para este, assim, como para as espécies/subespécies. Além de dados de distribuição geográfica e descrição de um novo táxon, que até o momento, é endêmico para o território brasileiro. Ainda, foram incluídas chave de identificação e a designação de neótipo e novo status taxonômico para as subespécies de M. astyanax. / This study presents aims to review the subgenus Malagoniella (Malagoniella) and search a hypothesis about the monophyly of the group, as well as the phylogenetic relationships between yours species. The Chapter one explains about the phylogenetic analyze of subgenus, that was performed on TNT program version 1.1. Dichotomius bicuspis was the terminals outgroup used to rootedness the analyzes. The generated tree (min. length = 0), were calculated consistency index (CI) and retention index (RI). In order to verify the support of the clades, analysis of “Bremer”, and “Bootstrap”, as conflict indicator between characters were done. The subgenus Malagoniella was considered monophyletic, supported by two synapomorphies and included 11 species and subspecies from the results achieved. The Chapter two, includes a review the subgenus, including redescriptions of Malagoniella (Malagoniella) and new taxonomic status to species and subspecies. Furthermore, geographic distribution data and a description of new taxon. Until this moment, this taxon is endemic at Brazilian territory. Moreover, it was included a key to identification and neotype designation to M. astyanax.