Abstract In subtropical Fushan (northern Taiwan), beetles attracted by carrion are inactive in winter, while beetles in tropical Nanjenshan (southern Taiwan) are active all year round. In subtropical Fushan distinguishing the activity periods of the four most dominant necrophilous families, Hydrophilidae, Leiodidae, Scarabaeidae and Staphylinidae, is difficult, yet in tropical Nanjenshan their activity periods are clearly separated. The diversity of necrophilous Aphodiinae and Scarabaeinae in tropical Nanjenshan is lower than that in subtropical Fushan since there is only one dominant species in Nanjenshan. In addition, the total number of necrophilous beetles was higher in the forest than in the meadow. Based on the qualitative and quantitative results of this study, we believe that the environmental factors, including temperature, wind and shade from the sun, can strongly affect the availability of the carrion used by these beetles, thereby changing their species abundance and diversity. Under intense resource competition, different strategies evolved, resulting in different patterns of species diversity, seasonal activity and niche separation between tropical and subtropical areas.
摘要 本研究比較南北台灣以屍體誘引所捕獲甲蟲的物種組成與季節性活躍，相對於南台灣地屬熱帶的南仁山受屍體吸引的甲蟲全年活躍，而甲蟲在北台灣亞熱帶福山則於冬天顯現不活躍的情況。四個最為優勢的親屍性科別 (牙蟲科、球蕈蟲科、金龜子科與隱翅蟲科) 在福山的活躍期較難區隔，但在南仁山此四個科別的活躍期則清楚分離。南仁山親屍性蜉金龜亞科與金龜子亞科的多樣性較福山為低，主要原因在於南仁山只有一個優勢種。整體來說，親屍性甲蟲在林地中的個體數目較草地為多。基於本研究結果，我們相信溫度、風與遮蔭等環境因子，強烈影響甲蟲對屍體資源的利用，進而改變物種的分布與多樣性，並基於資源的競爭而演化出不同的策略，因此得以檢測出物種多樣性、季節活躍與棲位區隔在熱帶與亞熱帶區域的不同模式。
| Key words: species diversity, species abundance, niche separation, carrion fauna | | 關鍵詞: 物種多樣性、物種豐量、棲位區隔、屍體動物相。 |
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