Dung beetles are described as key ecosystem service providers. Because of ecosystem benefits from their activity, approval has been granted to import dung-burying beetles for release into pasture systems in New Zealand. Concerns remain, however, about the impact of dung beetle tunnelling and burying activity on the leaching of contaminants through soil. To assess the quality of water leaching from soil cores containing dung beetles, a trial was conducted using 12 intact Allophanic soil core lysimeters under in situ soil moisture and temperature regimes. Four lysimeters received dung and beetles (Geotrupes spiniger and Onthophagus taurus), four received dung and no beetles and four (controls) received no dung and no beetles. The quality of water was assessed by monitoring leachate samples for Escherichia coli and total N and P for 6 months. Key findings of the study were that concentrations of E. coli, N and P leaching through the lysimeters treated with dung beetles were not significantly different from soils without dung beetles. In addition, where dung was buried there was a significant decrease in E. coli and total N and P in surface soil compared with the lysimeters receiving dung only. Results from this study suggest dung beetle tunnelling and burying activity does not negatively impact the quality of water leaching through Allophanic soil.

中文翻译：

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蜣螂活动对土壤渗滤液水质的影响

蜣螂被描述为关键的生态系统服务提供者。由于生态系统受益于它们的活动，已批准进口埋粪甲虫，以释放到新西兰的牧场系统中。然而，人们仍然担心蜣螂挖隧道和掩埋活动对通过土壤浸出污染物的影响。为了评估从含有蜣螂的土壤核心浸出的水的质量，在原位土壤湿度和温度条件下使用 12 个完整的 Allophonic 土壤核心蒸渗仪进行了试验。四个蒸渗仪接受粪便和甲虫（Geotrupes spiniger 和 Onthophagus taurus），四个接受粪便但没有甲虫，四个（对照）没有接受粪便和甲虫。通过监测渗滤液样品中的大肠杆菌和总氮和总磷 6 个月来评估水质。该研究的主要发现是，通过用甲虫处理的蒸渗仪浸出的大肠杆菌、N 和 P 的浓度与没有甲虫的土壤没有显着差异。此外，与仅接受粪便的蒸渗仪相比，在埋有粪便的地方，表层土壤中的大肠杆菌和总氮和总磷显着减少。这项研究的结果表明，蜣螂挖隧道和掩埋活动不会对通过脱脂素土壤浸出的水质量产生负面影响。与仅接收粪便的蒸渗仪相比，表层土壤中的大肠杆菌和总氮和总磷。这项研究的结果表明，蜣螂挖隧道和掩埋活动不会对通过脱脂素土壤浸出的水质量产生负面影响。与仅接收粪便的蒸渗仪相比，表层土壤中的大肠杆菌和总氮和总磷。这项研究的结果表明，蜣螂挖隧道和掩埋活动不会对通过脱脂素土壤浸出的水质量产生负面影响。