Effect of dung beetles on the disappearance of cattle dung

在田间条件下，研究了甲虫对牛粪消散的影响。优势种随季节变化，粪便消失率也随季节变化。6月、7月和10月的利率很高，但8月和9月的利率很低。夏初和秋季，哈罗迪亚姬蜂和雅丽隐翅虫埋藏的粪便数量较多，但在盛夏，其他物种的粪便消失率较低。在粪块中停留的个体数量、在粪块中的停留时间和繁殖期间掩埋的粪量等因素似乎对粪便的消失起着重要作用。

The effect of dung beetles on disappearance of cattle dung was investigated in the field. Dominant species were changed in relation to seasons and dung disappearance rates were also changed by these species. The rates were high at June, July, and October, however, they were low at August and September. Although Aphodius haroldianus and A.elegans buried much amount of dung at early summer and autumn, less disappearance by other species was observed at middle summer. The factors such as number of individuals stayd in a dung pat, time of residence in the pat, and amount of dung buried during reproductive periods seemed to be important for disappearance of dung.