Overwintering biology and tests of trap and relocate as a conservation measure for burying beetles.

Details

• Creators:
  Hoback, W. Wyatt ; Conley, Adrienne
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Nebraska at Kearney
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Conservation
  • Insects
  • Winter
  • Survival
  • Freezing
  • Physiology
  • Low temperature
  • Endangered species
• Publication/ Report Number:
  M330
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Nebraska
• Corporate Publisher:
  Nebraska. Dept. of Roads
• Abstract:
  Burying beetles are carrion beetles and utilize dead animal carcasses for feeding ; and reproductive efforts. They assist with decomposition, prevent the spread of disease, ; and reduce the number of pest species. The largest species of carrion beetle, the ; American burying beetle, is a federally endangered insect and its distribution has been ; reduced by 90%. The conservation of this species is important in maintaining a healthy ; ecosystem. Overwintering biology and trap and relocation were studied to determine how ; this beetle survives freezing temperatures and to find whether trap and relocation could ; be a suitable conservation management measure. ; Trap and relocation is a technique often used to relocate organisms from an area ; where human and animal habitats overlap. In this study, we test the efficacy of a trap- ; relocate technique with a surrogate species of burying beetle, Nicrophorus marginatus, to ; determine the implications of this technique on the conservation management of the ; federally endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. Baited pitfall ; traps were used for capture, and the comparison of percent recaptures at different trap ; sites (control, source, and destination) was used to determine the effects of relocating beetles. The results showed that percent recaptures were lower for the beetles relocated to ; the new location; however, there was no statistical difference between trap sites. Trap and ; relocation, in circumstances where there is substantial threat to the American burying ; beetle’s habitat, should be considered for conserving this species. ; Insects are poikilotherms and have evolved strategies to survive freezing ; temperatures through changes in behavior and physiology. Overwintering insects either ; utilize a freeze tolerant or freeze avoidant strategy. Freeze avoidant insects cannot ; withstand their cellular fluids freezing solid, while freeze tolerant insects can survive this. ; Burying beetles from their northern range in Nebraska were put in a simulated, natural ; environment to determine whether they are freeze avoidant or freeze tolerant. The results ; showed that there was a strong relationship between beetle depth and temperature. ; Beetles from the northern range buried at or below the frost line to survive freezing ; temperatures. This could have further implications in the conservation of the American ; burying beetle if there are differences between the overwintering behavior of northern ; and southern range beetles.
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• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28823/dot_28823_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.61 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:79322acc8072547d4ac37e74d30179f756f4555e7f3d336e0567d162134a985e