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This project had financial support provided by PVE-Ciencias Sem Fronteiras program of the Ministerio da Educacao via Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior – CAPES: Efeito comparado do clima e das mudancas no uso do solo na distribuicao espacial de um grupo de isnsetos indicadores (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) na Mata Atlântica (Process 88881.068089/2014-01).

We also thank the financial support provided by Ciencias Sem Fronteiras program of the Ministerio da Educacao via Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior – CAPES (Process 88881.068089/2014-01).PGdS and VA thank CAPES for a Post -doctoral grant (Process 88881.068089/2014-01) and MIMH thanks the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (CNPq) for the Productivity grant (Process 309030/2013-7).

[Aim]: We investigated changes in dung beetle β-diversity components along a subtropical elevational gradient, to test whether turnover or nestedness-related processes drive the dissimilarity of assemblages at spatial and temporal scales. [Location]: An elevational gradient (200–1,600 m a.s.l.) of the Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. [Methods]: We investigated the extent to which β-diversity varied along the elevational gradient (six elevations) at both spatial (among sites at different elevations) and temporal (different months at the same site) scales. We compared both the turnover and nestedness-related dissimilarity of species and genera using multiple-site or multiple-month measures and tested whether these measurements were different from random expectations. [Results]: A mid-elevation peak in species richness along the elevational gradient was observed, and the lowest richness occurred at the highest elevations. We found two different groups of species, lowland and highland species, with a mixing of groups at intermediate elevations. The turnover component of β-diversity was significantly higher for both spatial (i.e. elevational) and temporal changes in species composition. However, when the data for genera by site were considered, the elevational turnover value decreased in relative importance. Nestedness-related processes are more important for temporal dissimilarity patterns at higher elevation sites. [Main conclusions]: Spatial and temporal turnover of dung beetle species is the most important component of β-diversity along the elevational gradient. High-elevation assemblages are not subsets of assemblages that inhabit lower elevations, but this relationship ceases when β-diversity is measured at the generic level. Environmental changes across elevations may be the cause of the differential establishment of distinctive species, but these species typically belong to the same higher taxonomic rank. Conservation strategies should consider elevational gradients in case-specific scenarios as they may contain distinct species assemblages in lowlands vs. highlands., We also want to thank the financial support provided by the Ciências Sem Fronteiras program of Ministério da Educação via Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—CAPES (Process 88881.068089/2014‐01). PGdS thank CAPES for the post‐doctoral grant (Process 88881.068089/2014‐01) and MIMH thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the productivity grant (Process 309030/2013‐7).

Dung consumption and removal is a fundamental ecological process carried out by dung beetles that drive soil nutrient cycling and associated ecosystem services. In this study, the removal rate of small droppings by dung beetles was estimated in natural subtropical rainforests of southern Brazil located along an elevational gradient, in order to understand the factors influencing variation in dung removal. To do that, the comparative explanatory capacity of three main types of variables was quantified: assemblage characteristics, local climatic and habitat conditions, and seasonal variation. The complete disappearance of dung within 48 h after deposition occurs in 73% of occasions. The highest explanatory capacity correspond to the combined effects of the three types of variables; however, average air temperature during the sampling period, total volume of dung beetles collected in the traps in which dung removal was measured, and the seasonal transition from summer to winter were the most important and representative predictors of dung removal. Thus, the dung nutrient incorporation into the soil will most likely be greater during spring‐summer conditions, when the air temperature at the time of dung deposition is high and the biomass of the dung beetle assemblage is bigger., Furthermore, we would like to thank Ciências Sem Fronteiras program of the Ministério da Educação via Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – CAPES and CNPq (process 88881.068089/2014‐01) for their financial support. PGdS and VA thank CAPES for a post‐doctoral grant (process 88887.094506/2015‐00 and 88887.100542/2015‐00) and MIMH thanks the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the Productivity grant (process 309030/2013‐7).