Local environmental conditions and fine-scale landscape composition shape dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity and ecosystem functions in tropical grazing systems

Abstract Understanding how local environmental conditions and fine-scale variation in the composition of the surrounding landscape jointly influence biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is essential for promoting sustainable livestock systems in tropical grasslands. Dung beetles are key organisms in these systems, contributing to nutrient cycling, soil bioturbation, and dung removal. Here, we evaluated how local environmental conditions and the composition of the surrounding landscape influence dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as their associated ecological functions, in native pastures of the Brazilian Pantanal. We sampled dung beetle assemblages across ten sites and quantified local variables related to soil properties and vegetation structure together with landscape composition within 100-, 200-, and 300-m buffers surrounding each sampling site. Taxonomic and functional diversity, and ecosystem functions were assessed using standardized protocols. We found that local environmental conditions and surrounding landscape composition jointly influenced dung beetle assemblages and their ecological functions, but their relative importance varied among response variables. Local conditions, particularly soil properties, were the main drivers of taxonomic diversity and abundance, indicating strong environmental filtering at fine scales. In contrast, variation in the proportion of grassland and forest cover surrounding sampling sites had stronger effects on functional diversity and ecosystem functioning. These findings demonstrate that biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tropical grazing systems are shaped by combined influence of local habitat conditions and fine-scale landscape composition. Implications for insect conservation Integrating fine-scale habitat management with landscape-level planning is therefore essential to maintain ecological processes and support dung beetle conservation in tropical grazing systems.