Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats.

ABSTRACT: In terrestrial ecosystems, insects face a wide range of temperatures among habitats and time; consequently, the thermal niche is one of the main determinants of habitat selection and temporal patterns of activity. The replacement of native forests changes micro-climatic conditions and reduces the diversity of dung beetles; however, the physiological mechanisms behind these changes are not clear. We explore the role of the thermal niche in dung beetles to explain the ability of native species to exploit human-created habitats. Using infrared thermography, we measured variables associated with the thermal niche in 17 native species and used linear mixed-effects model and ANOVAs to compare disturbed habitats and the native forest. Endothermy and body mass explained the ability of dung beetles

SUBMITTER: Gimenez Gomez VC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7414905 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature