The initiative seeks to learn about the impacts that climate change has on dung beetles.

The University of Alcalá de Henares has completed the project ‘Impacts and mitigation of the effects of global warming on the ecosystem services provided by dung beetles of mountain grasslands’. An initiative that has had the support of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition through its call for grants. The main objective of this project has been to evaluate the impact of global change on the ecosystem services performed by dung beetles in mountain grasslands located in the Sierra de Guadarrama (Madrid).

Coprophagous beetles are key to the productivity and sustainability of natural and agro‐forestry systems, since by feeding on excrement and burying it, they contribute to the mineralization, aeration and availability of nutrients in the soil. Future climate forecasts indicate an increase in average annual temperatures of approximately 2°C to 4°C by 2046 in this region, which could have negative effects on biodiversity.

This project has studied how rising temperatures and habitat management affect the diversity of dung beetles and three ecosystem services: excrement removal, seed dispersal and nutrient input to the soil. To this end, two types of experiments have been developed: one in the laboratory under temperature-controlled conditions, and another in the field, in mountain grasslands with shaded and open habitats. The results of laboratory experiments have indicated less excrement removal and seed burial in higher temperature treatments. With respect to the field experiments, the results showed that, in general, the diversity of species and number of individuals captured is similar between the two types of habitats. In addition, it has been found that: (i) there is usually greater removal in the most open areas, although the results vary throughout the year; (ii) seed dispersal is usually higher in open areas, while (iii) nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus concentrations are higher in shaded areas.

This information has been used to propose strategies to mitigate the effects of global warming on the diversity and ecosystem services of dung beetles.