Dung Beetles as Bioindicators
Dung beetles like most specialised species require specific habitats in order for them to fill their realised niches. Using existing data and the presence and abundance of dung beetles the current conditions of a particular habitat may be quantified. Living life as a detritovore; dung beetles play major role in the decomposition of organic matter in a number of environments including rainforests and savannahs where their diversity is greatest (Davis et al. 2001). Because of this physical structure of the environment around the species plays an important determining factor in the distribution and community assemblages of dung beetles (Davis et al. 2001). Resulting from this using the species diversity and abundance can give an idea of the state of the environment. If a particular species of dung beetle is absent either species hasn’t reached that habitat yet or the characteristics of the environment are unfavourable and do not match the necessary conditions needed by the organism. When the species is located then the environment can be determined to be with a certain range of physical and chemical conditions.