new zealand dung beetle project - landcare research · shaun forgie lcr, science providers for the...
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Shaun Forgie
LCR, science providers for the Dung Beetle
Release Strategy Group (DBRSG)
The New Zealand Dung
Beetle Project:
Background, Potential
Benefits, Progress
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7,000 species worldwide
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90 cm
Dwellers (several weeks)
Slow-burying tunnelers
(up to 6 weeks)
Fast-burying tunnelers
(6 -24hrs)
Rollers
(10min - 24hrs)
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Tunnelers are:
• by far the most abundant
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Tunnelers are:
•responsible for the most dung buried
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What dung beetles do we
already have in NZ?
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Native dung beetles
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Exotic pastoral dung beetles already in
NZ
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Exotic pastoral dung beetles already in
NZ
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Why do we want to introduce
dung beetles
What’s the problem?
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Many problems primarily in cattle
industry stem from ............
Intensive livestock farming
Excess faeces (and green house gas
emissions e.g. methane)
Soil compaction
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Forage fouling
1 cow produces ± 12 dung pads per day = 18kg/day
9.6 million cattle = 180 000 tonnes of dung per day!
Without dung beetles, dung in NZ can sit accumulating
on pasture for weeks.
This equates to 570 – 950 ha of pasture loss a day
directly under dung.
Intensive livestock farming promotes
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Rank growth (swards) & zone of repugnance
• an area 5x the size
of the dung itself Fincher,1981
Break feeding
• forces livestock to
feed on this growth
and grass in this
zone
Intensive livestock farming promotes
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• dependent on slope, soil texture
and soil structure
degradation in water quality
• nitrogen and phosphorus
• faecal coliforms
• pathogens (Cryptosporidium,
Giardia)
Intensive livestock farming promotes
surface runoff
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What do we do with all this dung?
Leave it
Rotational grazing
Harrowing
Dragging apparatus to spread/shred dung
we can recreate an age-old nutrient
recycling process by establishing dung
beetles and let them bury it.
Alternatively……..
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Potential Benefits Some key benefits that potentially can mitigate adverse
effects of dung on:
• Soil structure and function.
Burying dung provides a food source for soil
organisms such as earthworms
Tunnelling beetles increase levels of plant nutrients in
the subsoil at similar levels to typical application rates
of solid fertiliser inputs.
Tunnels increase aeration, reduce compaction, bring
subsoils to the soil surface (bioturbation)
Burying dung increases the amount of organic matter in
the soil, stimulates microbial activity, and nutrient
cycling
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Potential Benefits
• Pasture quality
Dung beetles can contribute to reducing forage
fouling
Several studies show “dung + beetles” results in
increases in:
Root biomass and growing depth is increased
improving water holding capacity
and drought tolerance
protein levels
nitrogen content
plant height
above ground biomass
grain production
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Potential Benefits
• Water issues
Tunnelling and improvements to the physical
structure of soils have a “flow-on” effect which can
include:
1) Improved water infiltration reduces surface ponding,
assists agricultural inputs (lime, fertilisers) to enter
the upper soil profile and reduce the level of
contaminants entering the waterways (Waterhouse 1974; Bormemissza 1976; Doube 2005b)
2) which leads to improved water quality (Doube 2008)
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Potential Benefits
Benefits demonstrated in other countries are likely to
occur here
We stress that the importation of dung beetles & the
benefits they provide are not focused on beef and dairy
industries solely
Likely to help contribute to improvements in the long
term sustainability of live stock farming in NZ
sheep, horse, deer, goat, alpaca farming can also
benefit from the services provided by dung beetles
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Who is introducing dung
beetles to NZ?
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This work was funded by MAF SFF, Landcare Research, DBRSG, DairyNZ,
Rodney District Council + ARC (in part), Environment Southland, Rodney
Economic Development Trust & Ngati Whatua
The Dung Beetle Release Strategy Group
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EPA (ERMA) process
Risks identified include:
Invasion of native habitats
Outcompeting native dung
fauna
Spreading animal and
human disease
Benefits Risks
Significant Negligible
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EPA granted permission for importation and full
unconditional release of 11species of dung beetle for
use in NZ pastureland.
EPA and LCR have subsequently done several
intensive reviews surrounding questions of risk
subsequently raised. EPA stands by its decision 100%.
LCR has completed several internationally reviewed
tests on disease risk (B-Tb, MAP) and food preference
with results showing no risk.
LCR commissioned international review of the ERMA
application with review showing the process was
thorough.
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Technical Advisory Group
• DBRSG has organised a TAG to advise how best to
progress the project so potential benefits can be
maximized while taking into account the needs of all
stakeholders and need to protect environment.
• Members currently include DBRSG, LCR, AgR,
MPI, Auckland Council, Environment Southland,
Beef & Lamb NZ, Federated Farmers. Others are
being approached to join.
• First meeting held in May and proposal for
monitored caged field trials currently being
considered.
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Bubas bison
16mm
Onitis alexis
20mm
Bubas bubalus
17mm
Onthophagus taurus
9mm
Geotrupes spiniger
22mm
♂
Onthophagus binodis
12mm
♂
O. (Digitonthophagus) gazella
11mm
♂
♂
♀
O. (Paleonthophagus) vacca
10mm
Copris lunaris
18mm
♂ ♂ ♀
Copris hispanus
18mm
Euoniticellus fulvus
10mm
♀
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Selection Criteria
• All species occupy differing but overlapping
seasonal activity periods
• Some species are day active, others night active or
active only at dawn and dusk
• Climatic suitability
• All species are habitat specific to open grasslands
• All species evolved to feed specifically on the dung
of herbivorous mammals (artiodactyles)
At least 11 species needed to control livestock
dung 24-7, 365 days a year throughout NZ.........
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Scope of the NZ Dung Beetle Project
It is expected this project will last at least 10-15 years
Current DBRSG phase of project was funded for 3-4
years which involved:
• EPA process
• Importation, quarantine and control release at least 5
species
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Bubas bison
16mm
Onitis alexis
20mm
Bubas bubalus
17mm
Onthophagus taurus
9mm
Geotrupes spiniger
22mm
♂
Onthophagus binodis
12mm
♂
O. (Digitonthophagus) gazella
11mm
♂
♂
♀
O. (Paleonthophagus) vacca
10mm
Copris lunaris
18mm
♂ ♂ ♀
Copris hispanus
18mm
Euoniticellus fulvus
10mm
♀
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Winter
Spring-
Autumn Autumn-
winter
Summer
Spring-
Autumn
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Scope of the NZ Dung Beetle Project
It is expected this project will last at least 10-15 years
Current DBRSG phase of project was funded for 3-4
years which involved:
• EPA process
• Importation, quarantine and control release at least 5
spp
Next phase, DBRSG plan:
• Controlled releases with research (TAG - LCR and Agr)
• Continuing mass rearing for nation wide releases
• Importation of remaining species
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Acknowledgements
MAF SFF
Landcare Research
DBRSG
EPA
Auckland Council
Environment Southland
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Rodney Economic Development Trust
Ngati Whatua
Beef and Lamb NZ
Dairy NZ
Federated Farmers