Importance of live fences for dung beetle assemblage connectivity in a fragmented landscape

Abstract The fragmentation of tropical deciduous forests in the Mexican state of Chiapas has resulted in small remnants immersed in an agricultural matrix. In many cases, these forest fragments are often limited by live fences, elements that may be ecologically important in terms of the potential habitat connection. In this work, we compared the structure, diversity, and species composition of dung beetle assemblages in three representative habitats (forest, live fences, and cattle pastures) in the region. Six samplings were conducted during the 2019 rainy season, using pitfall traps baited with pig dung. 2,025 individuals of 23 species, 14 genera, and six tribes were captured. Diversity was higher in the forest, but species composition reveals a high similarity of this habitat with the live fence, while the cattle pasture composition shows a clear segregation, indicating the existence of two different assemblages between the three habitats. Likewise, nine species were significantly associated with one of the three habitats. The high similarity with forest in species composition and the presence of an indicator species suggest that live fences function as conspicuous elements that allow high connectivity between forest patches, facilitating the movement of some species that avoid open areas in the agricultural landscape.