Comparison of species diversity, richness, and abundance of dung beetles between wildlife and wildlife-livestock systems in north-eastern Namibia

Abstract Assessing the species diversity, richness, and abundance of dung beetles in wildlife and wildlife-livestock systems is crucial in understanding the effects of anthropogenic processes on the community structures of dung beetles to improve conservation strategies in Namibia. We tested the hypothesis that the species diversity, richness, and abundance of dung beetles in wildlife systems will be better than in wildlife-livestock systems. Sampling of dung beetles was carried out using baited pitfall traps for a period of 12 months. Linear transects of 1.1 km in length were installed with 12 pitfall traps separated by a distance of 100 m from each other. An independent samples test was used to compare the abundance, richness, and diversity of dung beetles in two ecosystems. A total of 47,818 individuals were collected from both wildlife and wildlife-livestock systems belonging to 44 species, 25 genera, and 8 tribes. Dung beetle abundance, richness, and diversity were significantly higher in the wildlife system than in the wildlife-livestock system (T = 4.676, df = 59.04, p < 0.05; T = 1.825, df = 35, p < 0.05; T = 4.676, df = 59.04, p < 0.05). The wildlife system was more species-rich (n = 43) when compared to the wildlife-livestock system (n = 34). A higher Shannon-Wiener Index was reported in wildlife systems (H’ = 2.561) than in wildlife-livestock systems (H’ = 2.289). The results from the non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination demonstrated a dissimilarity (stress = 0.155) in species composition and abundance of dung beetles between the two systems. Different land-use systems have proven to have an impact on species assemblage of dung beetles. We concluded that wildlife systems in Namibia have a richer ecological and functional dung beetle community as compared to a wildlife-livestock system, most likely influenced by anthropogenic activities.