Escarabajos coprófagos Coleóptera: Scarabaeidae como recicladores de materia orgánica en la Estación Agroecológica UTPL.

Abstract

The research was conducted in the Agroecological Station of UTPL which is located 25 km from Loja city in Loja province. It was performed two samplings in two habitats: pasture with extensive use and pasture with intensive use, it was used 450 m of linear transect and 10 pitfall traps, baited with cattle feces for 48 h, with 10 experimental units and control to the removal rates measuring wich were spaced 50 m between them. In total 1696 specimens were registered, distributed in six genera and seven species. The pasture area with extensive use presented more specimens (n = 1128 specimens) indentifying 7 species than the intensive use pasture (n = 568 specimens) with 3 species. The Onthophagus aff. Curvicornis Species (n = 712; 41, 98%) and Onoreidium ohausi (n = 579; 34.14%) were dominant. There were differences with double wealth, abundance and diversity between habitats. The assembly was observed a 10% of residents (54.13%) of Digging (45.87%), no tumbleweed species were found. The extensive use pasture habitat showed the greatest diversity, probably by association with the forest and a possible increased food availability.