Assemblage of Coprophagous Beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of Tropical Dry Forest in Bahia Concha,Santa Marta (Colombia)

In a tropical dry forest landscape, in the inlet of Bahia Concha, Santa Marta, Colombia, we evaluated the spatio-temporal variation in the assemblage of coprophagous coleopterans associated with three zones with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance. Samples were collected monthly from March to October 2008 using pitfall traps baited with human excrement. We calculated the richness, abundance and spatio-temporal variation of the structure of the community. We captured a total of 24,571 individuals belonging to 22 species. The dominant species was Canthidium sp, with 7,860 individuals. The disturbed tropical dry forest and the grassland had the highest richness (20) and abundance (9,644 and 11,330); while in the conserved forest area 3,567 individuals grouped in 17 species were reported. Temporally, May presented the greatest number of captures (5,139) and March the least (151). The ANOSIM (p < 0.05%) demonstrated that there is a temporal pattern in the community owing to precipitation, which is associated with changes that are produced in the soil and in the greater availability and composition of the food resource. The results demonstrate the sensitivity of the guild to different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and the direct relationship of precipitation with the assemblage of coprophagous coleopterans in the study area.