DOI: 10.5061/dryad.hhmgqnkt4
title: Use of charred vertebrate carcasses by carrion beetles: Implications of controlled burns and wildfires for the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus

description: The frequency and intensity of fires, including controlled burns and
 wildfires, in temperate environments will change future conservation
 practices for endangered and threatened species. Populations of
 the threatened American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus Olivier
 remain concentrated in fire-prone grassland areas of Nebraska and mixed
 grassland-forest habitats in Oklahoma. To better understand the
 response of N. americanus to fire events, field surveys, and laboratory
 tests were conducted to determine if Nicrophorus spp. would utilize
 varying levels of charred rats (slight, moderate, or severe) compared to
 unburned carcasses for food and reproductive purposes, and survival of
 buried adult Nicrophorus spp. was measured when exposed to surface burning
 on a fire table. Field surveys captured seven species of burying
 beetles (Staphylinidae: Silphinae: Nicrophorini) and four species of
 carrion beetles (Staphylinidae: Silphinae: Silphini) using burned carrion
 at all levels with severity of burn score, month, and the interaction
 effect predicting differences in beetle community
 composition. Nicrophorus spp. were able to reproduce with
 moderately and severely burned carcasses, but produced significantly fewer
 offspring; when buried in soil, 96% of Nicrophorus spp. survived hot fires
 burning on the surface. Data represent carrion beetle community response
 to burned carcass across the season and data for reproduction using burned
 carcasses by adult Nicrophorus orbicollis. 
description: # Use of charred vertebrate carcasses by carrion beetles: Implications of
 controlled burns and wildfires for the American burying beetle,
 Nicrophorus americanus Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.hhmgqnkt4](10.5061/dryad.hhmgqnkt4) ## Description of the
 data and file structure Field assessment using pitfall traps baited with
 rat carcasses at various burn stages. Sampling was conducted at Camp
 Gruber Military training facility in Muskogee County. Two files are
 provided. Field data are to determine community response to carcasses that
 were control, slightly burned, moderately burned, or severely burned. ###
 field\_community\_data\_.csv Column abbreviations represent carrion beetle
 species: ABB- Nicrophorus americanus, Carol- Nicrophorus carolinus; Marg-
 Nicrophorus marginatus; Orbic- Nicrophorus orbicollis; Pustul- Nicrophorus
 pustulatus; Tomen- Nicrophorus tomentosus; Surin- Necroides surinamensis;
 Novo- Oiceoptoma noveboracense ; Ineq- Oiceoptoma inaequale; Necro-
 Necrophila Americana. Values represent the number of individuals caught
 per trap. ### reproductive\_data.csv Second file provides laboratory data
 resulting from captive breeding by *Nicrophorus orbicollis* using
 carcasses after they had been exposed to fire (control, slight, moderate,
 charred = severe). * Rows 7-13 are parent beetle weights in grams for
 females (F) and males (M). * Rows 16-22 are the number of offspring that
 pupated per treatment (C = control, S = Slight, M = moderate, S = Severe =
 charred). * Number of tenerals = new adults that emerged from pupae. *
 Weights of offspring in grams. ## **Code/software** n/a