Experimental Estimate of Soil Nutrient Exchange in an Afrotropical Forest: The Role of Dung Beetle Community Complexity

Abstract

Despite recognition of its importance, little is known about functional aspects of soil fauna. Here, we investigate the effect that different dung beetle functional groups have on macronutrient movement (N, P, K, and C) from dung into soil over 112-day period. We report a large overall effect where more macronutrients are moved into soil over time when beetles are present compared to a control treatment. We also report a large effect of beetle functional groupings on the amount of macronutrient movement, with larger dung beetles moving more nutrients over time. We provide the first experimental evidence that dung beetle body size directly influences macronutrient recycling and discuss the importance of dung beetle functional characteristics in maintaining soil fertility.