Dung beetle-mediated soil modification: a data set for analyzing the effects of a recent introduction on soil quality

Abstract

Globally, dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are linked to many critical ecosystem processes involving the consumption and breakdown of mammal dung. Due to New Zealand's unique evolutionary history, resulting from its geographic isolation from Gondwana, endemic dung-dwelling fauna evolved in the absence of large mammals. Europeans introduced livestock to the islands in the late 18th and 19th centuries, resulting in a buildup of undecomposed feces and unrecycled nutrients due to the absence of dung beetles. To mitigate this situation, in 2011, the New Zealand Environmental Protection Agency approved the release of 11 species of exotic beetles with the expectation that these insects would fulfill a critically missing link in converting aboveground manure biomass into higher quality soils belowground. Widespread releases began in 2014. To enable others in the future to test the environmental impacts of the beetle introductions, we present a detailed characterization of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, shortly after the initial and intentional introduction of dung beetles to 16 release sites across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. As beetle populations become established, these baseline data will enable quantification of the degree to which different exotic dung beetle communities can modify soils, specifically if they facilitate soil nutrient cycling. There are no copyright or proprietary restrictions for research or teaching purposes. Usage of the data set must be cited by referencing this publication.