Trap Spacing Protocols for Amazonian Dung Beetle Surveys

Abstract

Surveys of dung beetle species richness, abundance and assemblage composition were conducted at Los Amigos Biological Station in Amazonian Peru, using dung-baited pitfall traps with varying spacing and duration. Trap spacing did not significantly influence species richness, the number of individuals captured, or assemblage composition. These findings suggest that in healthy Neotropical rainforests, dung beetle populations are vast and mobile, indicating that the concern over trap spacing might be less critical than previously considered.