Using citizen scientists to measure an ecosystem service nationwide

Kaartinen, Riikka; Hardwick, Bess; Roslin, Tomas

doi:10.1890/12-1165.1

Cited by 54 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…Our lab experiment, as elsewhere [23], [33], [34], [35], showed that body mass is an ecologically relevant characteristic because smaller beetles had relatively little effect on dung removal. For example, the effect of O. fracticornis on dung removal was certainly lower compared to the other tunnelers used in the experiment and it was not significant after 80 hours (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

The Effects of Body Mass on Dung Removal Efficiency in Dung Beetles

et al. 2014

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Understanding of the role of body mass in structural-functional relationships is pressing, particularly because species losses often occur non-randomly with respect to body size. Our study examined the effects of dung beetle body mass on dung removal at two levels. First, we used the lab experiment to evaluate the efficiency of eight dung beetle species belonging to two functional groups (tunnelers, dwellers) on dung removal. Second, the same species employed in the lab were used in field mesocosms to examine the effects of the two functional groups on dung removal maintaining realistic differences in the total body mass between tunneler and dweller assemblages. Furthermore, the experimental assemblages contained one and four species within each functional group, so the effect of body mass heterogeneity was examined. We used a statistical approach (offset method) which took into account a priori constraints due to the study design allowing us to analyse the effect of larger species in mesocosm style experiments. Body size played a crucial role in dung removal: large beetles were more efficient than small ones and the percentage of removed dung increased with higher body mass heterogeneity. Tunnelers were more efficient than dwellers over both short and long time periods (one month and one year). Significant effects of dwellers were found only after one year. Moreover, our study showed that not including the body mass as an offset in the model resulted in sometimes different results, as the offset expresses dung removal independently of the body mass. This approach confirmed that body size is likely a pivotal factor controlling dung removal efficiency at multiple levels, from single species to overall dung beetle assemblages. Even though other specific traits should be examined, this study has begun to address the consequences of losing individuals with specific traits that are especially sensitive to perturbations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

The Effects of Body Mass on Dung Removal Efficiency in Dung Beetles

et al. 2014

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“…Variation in nesting strategies [25] and in the body mass of species may significantly affect their functional efficiency [22,27,28,29,44]. Thus, we expected different beetles to affect GHG fluxes differently–a hypothesis for which we found direct support.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…The ‘tunnelers’ translocate dung to tunnels dug underneath the dung pat, whereas the ‘rollers’ first translocate pieces of dung horizontally, then bury them vertically. A priori , these different nesting strategies and/or the body mass of the species may significantly affect ecological function, such as dung removal efficiency [22,26–29]. As they result in inter alia holes of different diameter in different parts of the dung pat, and in different sizes of brood balls being translocated to different micro-environments, we hypothesized that they may also affect GHG fluxes differently.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenhouse gas emissions from dung pats vary with dung beetle species and with assemblage composition

et al. 2017

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Cattle farming is a major source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Recent research suggests that GHG fluxes from dung pats could be affected by biotic interactions involving dung beetles. Whether and how these effects vary among beetle species and with assemblage composition is yet to be established. To examine the link between GHGs and different dung beetle species assemblages, we used a closed chamber system to measure fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from cattle dung pats. Targeting a total of four dung beetle species (a pat-dwelling species, a roller of dung balls, a large and a small tunnelling species), we ran six experimental treatments (four monospecific and two mixed) and two controls (one with dung but without beetles, and one with neither dung nor beetles). In this setting, the overall presence of beetles significantly affected the gas fluxes, but different species contributed unequally to GHG emissions. When compared to the control with dung, we detected an overall reduction in the total cumulative CO2 flux from all treatments with beetles and a reduction in N2O flux from the treatments with the three most abundant dung beetle species. These reductions can be seen as beneficial ecosystem services. Nonetheless, we also observed a disservice provided by the large tunneler, Copris lunaris, which significantly increased the CH4 flux–an effect potentially traceable to the species’ nesting strategy involving the construction of large brood balls. When fluxes were summed into CO2-equivalents across individual GHG compounds, dung with beetles proved to emit less GHGs than did beetle-free dung, with the mix of the three most abundant species providing the highest reduction (-32%). As the mix of multiple species proved the most effective in reducing CO2-equivalents, the conservation of diverse assemblages of dung beetles emerges as a priority in agro-pastoral ecosystems.

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“…We found that presence and biomass of tunnellers had a disproportionate effect on dung removal in a temperate wood‐pasture. This is in accordance with other experiments carried out in tropical and boreal habitats and shows the general importance of tunnellers for ecosystem functioning (Slade et al ., ; Kaartinen et al ., ). This is particularly the case for most Central European regions where roller species are absent and tunnellers are the most effective group from a functional perspective (Milotić et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Stronger dung removal in forests compared with grassland is driven by trait composition and biomass of dung beetles

Buse

Entling

2019

Ecological Entomology

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1. Ecosystem processes depend on the biomass of the involved organisms, but their functional diversity may play an additional role. In particular, the exclusion of key functional groups through habitat disturbance may lead to the breakdown of ecosystem functions. Dung removal is an important process contributing to nutrient cycling and thus productivity in grazed ecosystems. 2. This study investigated the role of different functional groups of dung beetles in dung removal in different habitats within a wood‐pasture in two different seasons. An experimental setting with 12 blocks and 108 dung pads was used to investigate short‐term dung removal over 1 week of exposure. 3. Dung removal was most strongly affected by habitat type, with almost 40% lower levels in grassland than in adjacent forest and forest gaps. Of all assemblage characteristics, total biomass of tunneller species was the strongest predictor of dung removal, whereas functional diversity showed no significant effect. In accordance with the dung removal pattern at habitat type level, densities of large tunnellers were suppressed in grassland compared with forest. 4. It is concluded that dung removal is habitat‐specific and large tunnellers play a disproportionate role in this important ecosystem function in temperate forests.

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Using citizen scientists to measure an ecosystem service nationwide

Cited by 54 publications

References 39 publications

The Effects of Body Mass on Dung Removal Efficiency in Dung Beetles

The Effects of Body Mass on Dung Removal Efficiency in Dung Beetles

Greenhouse gas emissions from dung pats vary with dung beetle species and with assemblage composition

Stronger dung removal in forests compared with grassland is driven by trait composition and biomass of dung beetles

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