Landscape configuration outweighs composition in shaping the diversity of phytophagous scarab beetles in the Serranía del Perijá, Colombia

Landscape transformation alters species diversity and the functional structure of communities. In the Serranía del Perijá, northern Colombia, we assessed how landscape composition and configuration influence taxonomic and functional diversity (alpha and beta) of phytophagous scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) across forests, crops, and regenerating areas within four landscape windows. A total of 3,713 individuals representing 50 species were collected using baited and light traps. Regionally, taxonomic alpha diversity metrics (°D, 1 D, 2 D), functional richness (FRic SES ), and functional dispersion (FDis SES ) did not differ significantly among land-cover types, although local contrasts were evident. Functional evenness (FEve SES ) was lower in regeneration, and several species were unique to forests and regeneration but absent from crops. Generalized additive mixed models identified significant relationships between landscape variables and taxonomic richness, whereas patch shape, canopy-cover dissimilarity, and PLAND were associated with beta-diversity patterns among land-cover types. Taxonomic beta diversity was mainly driven by species turnover, whereas functional beta diversity was dominated by nestedness, suggesting reduced functional differentiation among communities. These findings highlight the importance of landscape configuration and connectivity in maintaining diversity in transformed tropical systems.