Dung beetles are an ecologically important insect taxa providing many ecosystem functions and services, such as nutrient cycling, soil aeration, and secondary seed dispersal (check out the video below). They are also an excellent model taxon for biodiversity research as they respond rapidly to environmental changes and can be sampled cost-effectively. We are using an integrative approach combining ecological, molecular, and evolutionary methods to document the impacts of land-use and climate change on the dung beetles of Southeast Asia.

 

We combine data on species morphological, behavioural, and physiological traits, with data on species abundances, composition, and associated ecosystem functions across land use gradients.  This allows us to predict how species will respond to land use change, climate change, and the distributions of mammals, and the consequences for ecosystem functioning. We are also using population genomics and manipulative experiments to study genetic differences across habitats, the response of species to temperature manipulations, and barriers to gene flow in human-modified environments.

 

Accurate information on the taxonomy and distribution of the dung beetles in Southeast Asia is currently lacking. To rectify this, we have embarked on a GBIF/BIFA-funded project which aims to increase knowledge of dung beetles in Singapore and Bornean Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) through the mobilisation of georeferenced occurrence records from existing literature and collection specimens and generating DNA barcode sequences for species. Species checklists, occurrence records, sequence data and resource metadata datasets will be collated along with the creation of user-friendly keys and guides. These databases and guides will be open-access and made freely available to build capacity among Southeast Asian stakeholders. 

Find out more about this project here:
Mobilising data on ecologically important insects in Malaysia and Singapore