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The activity of dung beetles increases foliar nutrient concentration in tropical seedlings
Author(s) -
SantosHeredia Carolina,
Andresen Ellen,
delVal Ek,
Zárate Diego A.,
Nava Mendoza Maribel,
Jaramillo Víctor J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/btp.12364
Subject(s) - dung beetle , nutrient , tropics , scarabaeinae , rainforest , biology , tropical rain forest , tropical forest , ecology , agronomy , phosphorus , agroforestry , scarabaeidae , materials science , metallurgy
Abstract Dung beetles are extensively used as a focal taxon in tropical forests. Yet, information for most of their ecological functions comes from other systems. We present results from a field experiment in a tropical rain forest showing that dung beetle activity increases foliar phosphorus concentration in seedlings of the tree Brosimum lactescens . Our results open new lines of research to assess the multiple effects that dung beetles may have on rain forest plants.