Species richness and ecosystem functioning of southeast asian dung beetle fauna

Abstract

Southeast Asia lost almost half of its dipterocarp rainforests to anthropogenic activities. Degradation of forests has contributed to the loss of species and ecological services performed by these species. Here, I focused on the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on forest dung beetle species and the ecosystem function performed. I first concentrate on the relationships between forest disturbance, dung beetle communities and dung removal in the forests of Johor (Peninsular Malaysia) and Singapore. Disturbed forest fragments in Singapore harboured poorer dung beetle communities and had lower dung removal rates compared to the undisturbed, continuous forests of southern Peninsular Malaysia. My second study focused on possible dung beetle extinctions on a small nature reserve in Singapore. Comparisons of dung beetles collected in a present-day survey with historical collections show three dung beetle species absent. Results from my study highlight the need to preserve remaining refuges of biodiversity, especially undisturbed, old-growth forests.