Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), monkeys, and conservation in Amazonia

Dung beetles are important in several ecological processes, including nutrient recycling, soil aeration, the transport of other organisms, and the burial of vertebrate dispersed and defecated seeds. Dung beetle species vary widely in their abilities as seed dispersers. The biomass of beetle species that bury no seeds, bury small seeds only, or bury small and large seeds, is significantly different among sites along the Amazon River. The abundance of monkeys that act as high quality seed dispersers also varies at different sites. Implications of these differences in seed dispersal dynamics are discussed, Recent clearing and disturbance of primary forest is having an effect on the populations of primary and secondary seed dispersers, and suggestions for conservation of these critical faunas are presented.