Body-size is an important trait for predicting how species contribute to ecosystem functions and respond to environmental stress. Using the dung beetle Onthophagus nuchicornis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), we explored how variation in body-size affected ecosystem functioning (dung burial) and sensitivity to an environmental stressor (exposure to the veterinary anthelmintic ivermectin). We found that large beetles buried nearly 1.5-fold more dung than small beetles, but that mortality from exposure to a range of concentrations of ivermectin did not differ between large and small beetles. Unexpectedly, we found that exposure to low concentrations of ivermectin (0.01⁠–1 mg ivermectin per kg dung) stimulated dung burial in both small and large beetles. Our results provide evidence of ecological functioning hormesis stemming from exposure to low amounts of a chemical stressor that causes mortality at high doses.

中文翻译：

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接触低浓度杀虫剂可刺激粪甲虫 Onthophagus nuchicornis 的生态功能

体型是预测物种如何促进生态系统功能和应对环境压力的重要特征。我们使用粪甲虫 Onthophagus nuchicornis（鞘翅目：金龟子科）探索了体型的变化如何影响生态系统功能（粪埋）和对环境压力源的敏感性（接触兽用驱虫伊维菌素）。我们发现大甲虫比小甲虫埋葬的粪便多近 1.5 倍，但暴露于一系列伊维菌素浓度范围内的死亡率在大小甲虫之间没有差异。出乎意料的是，我们发现暴露于低浓度的伊维菌素（每公斤粪便 0.01?–1 毫克伊维菌素）会刺激小型和大型甲虫的粪便掩埋。