The interaction between Onthophagus binodis and cattle dung pH: Impacts on reproduction and offspring phenology

Thomas Heddle; Zac Hemmings; Adrienne Burns; Nigel R. Andrew

doi:10.1111/phen.12436

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The interaction between Onthophagus binodis and cattle dung pH: Impacts on reproduction and offspring phenology

Journal article

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The interaction between Onthophagus binodis and cattle dung pH: Impacts on reproduction and offspring phenology

Thomas Heddle, Zac Hemmings, Adrienne Burns and Nigel R. Andrew

Physiological entomology, Vol.49(3), pp.177-188

09/2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.12436

Appears in Recent Faculty of Science and Engineering Publications

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Abstract

Cattle dung

Dung beetle

reproduction

The environment surrounding invertebrates can influence the physiology of larval offspring. Dung beetles provide several significant ecological functions, including dung breakdown, fly control and nutrient cycling. Cattle diet influences the chemical and physical constituents of dung, of which pH is considered critical. Few studies have assessed this, though a pH of 6.3 is the lowest threshold for dung beetle reproduction. We investigated the effects of an introduced and widespread dung beetle (Onthophagus binodis) on cattle dung pH (7.3, 6.0 and 5.0) and pH on O. binodis reproduction, offspring phenotypic traits and development time. Dung beetle presence increased the Delta pH (more alkaline) within dung pads after 96 h. Dung beetles produced broods in dung with a pH of 5.0, though in fewer numbers compared with the other pH treatments. Larval development was delayed in pH 5.0 with an average of 50 days compared with 44 days in dung with pH 6, 7, and the control (7.3). Smaller broods (ellipsoid volume [mm(3)]) were produced in dung with a pH of 5.0 compared with pH 6.0 and 7.0, and offspring emerging from broods produced from dung with a pH of 6.0 were larger compared with the other pH treatments. Our results show that dung pH is important for brood production and progeny phenotypic traits of O. binodis, an agricultural ecosystem engineer and that there is no experimental evidence to support the suggestion that dung pH influences the provisioning of broods in this species.

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Title: The interaction between Onthophagus binodis and cattle dung pH: Impacts on reproduction and offspring phenology
Creators: Thomas Heddle - University of New England
Zac Hemmings - University of New England
Adrienne Burns - University of New England
Nigel R. Andrew - Southern Cross University
Publication Details: Physiological entomology, Vol.49(3), pp.177-188
Publisher: Wiley
Number of pages: 12
Grant note: Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Grant Number: RnD4Profit-16-03-016 Council of Australian University Librarians
Identifiers: 991013188913202368
Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Physiological Entomology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Open access publishing facilitated by University of New England, as part of the Wiley - University of New England agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

The interaction between Onthophagus binodis and cattle dung pH: Impacts on reproduction and offspring phenology

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