Greenspace sites conserve taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in an urbanized landscape in the Brazilian Cerrado

Urbanization transforms natural ecosystems, creating an environmental mosaic, characterized by native vegetation sites mixed with constructed sites. In this study, we compared dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity between residential and greenspace sites (remnants of native vegetation) in an urban landscape in the Brazilian Cerrado. We sampled dung beetles in February (2013–2014 – 2015) in four sites of remnants of native Cerado (here called “greenspace”) and four residential sites in the city of Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Greenspace sites are characterized by a mixture of plants of two distinct strata (phytophysiognomy Cerrado sensu stricto), a woody layer of trees and large shrubs, while residential sites are characterized by residential buildings (housing and commercial sites), unpaved roads with tree-lined streets. Dung beetle abundance and species richness were higher in greenspace sites. Species composition differed significantly among habitats but functional composition did not differ. Functional dispersion and functional richness was higher in greenspace sites. On the other hand, functional evenness was similar between greenspace and residential sites. In this study, we found higher taxonomic and functional components of dung beetle diversity in greenspace when compared to residential sites in the Brazilian Cerrado. Thus, we highlight the importance greenspace sites for the conservation of dung beetle biodiversity and consequently their ecological services (i.e. such as soil aeration, secondary seed dispersal, parasite regulation), which indirectly can affect human life quality in the urban matrix.