Dung beetles, those unsung heroes of the insect world renowned for their prowess in breaking down cattle dung, have now been found to have a positive impact on plant growth.
A multi-level meta-analysis of 24 studies spanning 14 countries and published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences has revealed that the humble beetles impacted plant growth by 17 per cent.
Lead author, PhD candidate Daniel Anderson from The University of Western Australia’s School of Biological Sciences, said dung beetles had long been recognised for their role in recycling nutrients and enhancing environmental health, however, the study results revealed another remarkable aspect of their abilities.
“Dung beetles have been imported into many countries to break down cattle dung, which left unburied, provides habitat for nuisance flies and creates areas of rank pasture that cattle avoid,” Anderson said.
“A well-known consequence of this dung recycling was thought to be increased plant growth but study results over the past half a century had been mixed.