Open lands as vital as forests in sustaining biodiversity: study

Team from Central University of Kerala uses dung beetles as models for research

In the context of climate change and global warming, all are concerned about conserving forests, planting and raising green islets at the cost of “degraded lands” with the deep-rooted assumption that forests sustain life the most. However, a study carried out by a team of researchers from the Central University of Kerala by taking dung beetles as models, suggests that it does not always hold true.

Dung beetles are pivotal to any terrestrial ecosystem for three major reasons - dung and carrion removal, nutrient recycling and mineralisation of soil, and secondary dispersal of seeds from the dung. They have rollers, dwellers, and tunnellers to disperse the ephemeral dung. Both the adults and grubs feed and develop on dung.

The team took the two habitats of sacred groves and adjoining home yards to investigate the habitat preference of beetles. Sacred groves are relics of secondary forests and yards are open orchards.