Quantifying the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services by dung beetles

My research program aims to understand the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services supported by insects. Ecosystem services are defined as the beneficial functions and goods that humans derive from ecosystems that directly or indirectly support their quality of life. Many ecosystem services supported by insects (such as pollination, pest regulation, and nutrient cycling) have a central importance within agroecosystems. Environmental stressors such as exposure to pesticides, or temperature extremes can affect the delivery of these ecosystem services through effects on insects experienced at the individual, population, or community level. Dung beetles are an excellent model system to explore these consequences across each of these levels. Most dung beetles are largely coprophagous on the dung of mammals, and feed on the microorganism-rich liquid fraction of dung. Ecosystem services provided by dung beetles (which include: disrupting parasite transmission, improving primary productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions) are strongly tied to the nesting habits of dung beetle species. The nesting habits of dung beetles are influenced by biological traits (e.g. body-size), abiotic factors (e.g. temperature fluctuations), and biotic interactions (e.g. presence/absence of predators). Using a combined approach of laboratory, mesocosm, and field experiments - the first five years of my research program will identify the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services supported by dung beetles. My approach will focus on three interrelated objectives: Objective 1. Quantifying exchange of ecosystem services between agricultural and forested habitats Objective 2. Determining how local-scale environmental quality affects trait variation and ecosystem service provision Objective 3. Bridging laboratory and field experiments to understand the ecological relevance of ivermectin-induced hormesis within dung beetles Knowledge generated through the research described will address fundamental questions in understanding the linkages between insect biodiversity and ecosystem services. As dung beetles provide a wide breadth of ecosystem services in natural and managed landscapes, knowledge generated from this research program will also have strong applicability to the sustainable management of agroecosystems.