John Black Planning Contract Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers

Summary

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Australian livestock produce around 80 million tonnes of dung each year that has adverse effects on productivity and the environment. The dung, particularly from cattle and sheep eating lush pasture, smothers pasture and reduces its growth, encourages the reproduction of intestinal nematodes, which reduce animal productivity, encourages the reproduction of bushflies and increases the runoff of nutrients and pathogens into waterways. Dung beetles either bury or scatter the dung, increasing pasture growth and reducing the negative environmental effects. CSIRO has introduced into Australia numerous dung beetle species from overseas countries. However, many colonies, particularly in southern Australia were decimated during the long drought of the 2000s-2010s due to destocking of properties and the lack of dung for the beetles to eat.

MLA obtained in 2017 a Commonwealth Rural R&D for Profits project in the third round of the Program to widen the spread of existing and newly introduced dung beetle species in southern Australia and to quantify the benefits of dung beetles for producers, the environment and society. The project partners include three universities (Charles Sturt, Western Australia, New England), the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, CSIRO, Landcare Research NZ, Dung Beetle Solutions International, Councils (Warren Catchments, Leschenault catchment) and the Mingenew-Irwin Farmer Group. The wide range of expertise from fundamental research, educational institutions to private companies, with experience in rearing and distribution of beetles, should lead to valuable outcomes for producers and society. There will also be a dedicated website at CSU for all information relating to dung beetles and access to models that will allow individual producers to identify the economic benefits of beetles to specific farms.

The dung beetle project was approved by the Commonwealth on the basis of high-level outcomes. This project was established by MLA to develop a detailed activity and budgeted project plan to meet the objectives of the dung beetle project.