Combined Effects of Beetle Density and Sex Ratio on Reproductive Trade‐Offs and Dung Burial in Tunnelling Dung Beetles
6 affiliations
- 1School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- 2Department of Entomology Sylhet Agricultural University Sylhet Bangladesh
- 3Department of Primary Industries Department of Regional NSW Coffs Harbour New South Wales Australia
- 4Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Launceston Tasmania Australia
- 5School of Science and Technology University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- 6Entomology Lab, Faculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University Lismore New South Wales Australia
Abstract
Dung beetle density and sex ratio play a significant role in intraspecific competition, and reproductive success depends on the beetle's maturity. We examined the impact of increasing density in small groups on dung burial and brood production using mature first‐generation individuals of two dung beetle species ( Onthophagus binodis and Digitonthophagus gazella ) by manipulating the number of males and females in a dung pat. Beetles were reared under controlled laboratory conditions and provided with cattle dung, which was collected from pastureland. Weekly dung burial was calculated by measuring the residual dung organic matter content. The number of broods produced per dung pat, broods' dry weight, and their size were recorded. In both species, treatments with intermediate numbers of male and female beetles produced more broods than solitary beetles. On the other hand, treatments with moderate to high numbers of male and female beetles buried more dung than individual females. At higher‐density treatments, brood size and brood dry weight declined, suggesting shifts in reproductive allocation under increasing intraspecific interactions. The two species showed very similar patterns, although O. binodis produced more broods while D. gazella buried more dung. We also observed a positive relationship between brood dry weight and brood size in both species. Overall, the results indicate that the combined effects of beetle density and sex ratio influenced reproductive investment and dung burial under controlled laboratory conditions. Further field studies are needed to determine whether similar patterns occur under higher density and natural ecological conditions.
Related
- Lagoa Misteriosa, a novel source of beetle diversity: two new species of Brazilian riffle beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae) with immatures from a karst sinkhole.
- Ground beetles in agroforestry system show functional traits and activity-density differences according to distance to trees
- Conservation of grassland patches failed to enhance colonization of ground-active beetles on formerly cultivated plots
- The Genomic Landscape of Metallic Colour Variation in Ground Beetles
- Acarophagous Beetles Associated with Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Avocado Orchards: Life-History Traits and Responses to Infested-Plant Volatiles and Prey-Derived Odours
BibTeX
@article{chowdhury2026combined,
title = {{Combined Effects of Beetle Density and Sex Ratio on Reproductive Trade‐Offs and Dung Burial in Tunnelling Dung Beetles}},
author = {Zinat Jahan Chowdhury and Zac Hemmings and Alfonsina Arriaga‐Jimenez and Karl Vernes and Timothy M. Schaerf and Nigel R. Andrew},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/ece3.74499},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13674177},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Combined Effects of Beetle Density and Sex Ratio on Reproductive Trade‐Offs and Dung Burial in Tunnelling Dung Beetles
AU - Zinat Jahan Chowdhury
AU - Zac Hemmings
AU - Alfonsina Arriaga‐Jimenez
AU - Karl Vernes
AU - Timothy M. Schaerf
AU - Nigel R. Andrew
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Ecology and evolution
DO - 10.1002/ece3.74499
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13674177
AB - Dung beetle density and sex ratio play a significant role in intraspecific competition, and reproductive success depends on the beetle's maturity. We examined the impact of increasing density in small groups on dung burial and brood production using mature first‐generation individuals of two dung beetle species ( Onthophagus binodis and Digitonthophagus gazella ) by manipulating the number of males and females in a dung pat. Beetles were reared under controlled laboratory conditions and provided with cattle dung, which was collected from pastureland. Weekly dung burial was calculated by measuring the residual dung organic matter content. The number of broods produced per dung pat, broods' dry weight, and their size were recorded. In both species, treatments with intermediate numbers of male and female beetles produced more broods than solitary beetles. On the other hand, treatments with moderate to high numbers of male and female beetles buried more dung than individual females. At higher‐density treatments, brood size and brood dry weight declined, suggesting shifts in reproductive allocation under increasing intraspecific interactions. The two species showed very similar patterns, although O. binodis produced more broods while D. gazella buried more dung. We also observed a positive relationship between brood dry weight and brood size in both species. Overall, the results indicate that the combined effects of beetle density and sex ratio influenced reproductive investment and dung burial under controlled laboratory conditions. Further field studies are needed to determine whether similar patterns occur under higher density and natural ecological conditions.
SN - 2045-7758
ER -