Forest vegetation types related variation in the diversity and community structure of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in the moist south Western Ghats

Abstract

Assessment of diversity and community structure of dung beetles in the shola, evergreen and deciduous forests of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) of the South Western Ghats, south India, revealed that vegetational differences affect the dung beetle population, and abundance and species richness of dung beetles was highest in the evergreen forests. High similarity in species composition between evergreen and shola forests was recorded. No vegetation specific indicator species was recorded with IndVal analysis from the three forest types, indicating that PTR is a habitat under stress. Four detector species were recorded and monitoring the detector species would enable in understanding the future direction of change in the various vegetation types in PTR.