Filling the Spring Gap in Southern Australia: Seasonal Activity of Four Dung Beetle Species Selected to Be Imported from Morocco

Dung beetles are important ecosystem engineers, as they utilize the excrement produced by animals. For nearly 60 years, several species of dung beetle have been introduced to Australia to help mitigate the problems caused by the accumulation of livestock dung. The twenty-three successfully established species directly contribute to reducing the environmental impacts from dung accumulation, providing improvements to soil health, pasture productivity and pest fly reduction. Despite this success, there are still geographical and seasonal gaps in dung beetle activity, causing dung to remain on the soil surface. The continued importation of new dung beetle species is warranted to fill these gaps. One of the significant remaining gaps is during spring in southern Australia. Four spring-active dung species from Morocco were selected for a new importation program (2018-2022): <i>Euonthophagus crocatus</i>, <i>Onthophagus vacca</i>, <i>Onthophagus marginalis</i> subsp. <i>andalusicus</i> and <i>Gymnopleurus sturmi</i>. These species were surveyed at four sites in Morocco on an altitudinal gradient to assess their seasonal activity. The four species were found at all sites during spring, but in varying abundances, with different species dominating different sites. This is most likely due to differences in local conditions such as soil type. Seasonal activity varied depending on elevation. <i>Gymnopleurus sturmi</i> was found to be active later in the season and should be considered as a summer species. The four species selected will be, if they establish, a useful addition to the already introduced and established dung beetle fauna in Australia.