Quantifying the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services by dung beetles

量化粪甲虫生态系统服务的重要性和脆弱性

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03941
• 负责人: Manning, Paul
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=763599
• 关键词: Quantifying; significance; vulnerability; ecosystem; services

My research program aims to understand the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services supported by insects. Ecosystem services are defined as the beneficial functions and goods that humans derive from ecosystems that directly or indirectly support their quality of life. Many ecosystem services supported by insects (such as pollination, pest regulation, and nutrient cycling) have a central importance within agroecosystems. Environmental stressors such as exposure to pesticides, or temperature extremes can affect the delivery of these ecosystem services through effects on insects experienced at the individual, population, or community level. Dung beetles are an excellent model system to explore these consequences across each of these levels. Most dung beetles are largely coprophagous on the dung of mammals, and feed on the microorganism-rich liquid fraction of dung. Ecosystem services provided by dung beetles (which include: disrupting parasite transmission, improving primary productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions) are strongly tied to the nesting habits of dung beetle species. The nesting habits of dung beetles are influenced by biological traits (e.g. body-size), abiotic factors (e.g. temperature fluctuations), and biotic interactions (e.g. presence/absence of predators). Using a combined approach of laboratory, mesocosm, and field experiments - the first five years of my research program will identify the significance and vulnerability of ecosystem services supported by dung beetles. My approach will focus on three interrelated objectives: Objective 1. Quantifying exchange of ecosystem services between agricultural and forested habitats Objective 2. Determining how local-scale environmental quality affects trait variation and ecosystem service provision Objective 3. Bridging laboratory and field experiments to understand the ecological relevance of ivermectin-induced hormesis within dung beetles Knowledge generated through the research described will address fundamental questions in understanding the linkages between insect biodiversity and ecosystem services. As dung beetles provide a wide breadth of ecosystem services in natural and managed landscapes, knowledge generated from this research program will also have strong applicability to the sustainable management of agroecosystems.

我的研究计划旨在了解昆虫支持的生态系统服务的重要性和脆弱性。生态系统服务被定义为人类从生态系统中获得的直接或间接支持其生活质量的有益功能和产品。许多由昆虫支持的生态系统服务（如授粉、害虫调节和养分循环）在农业生态系统中具有核心重要性。暴露于农药或极端温度等环境压力因素可以通过对昆虫在个人、种群或社区层面的影响来影响这些生态系统服务的提供。粪甲虫是一个很好的模型系统，可以探索这些层面上的后果。大多数蜣螂主要以哺乳动物的粪便为食，并以粪便中富含微生物的液体部分为食。蜣螂提供的生态系统服务（包括：破坏寄生虫传播，提高初级生产力和减少温室气体排放）与蜣螂物种的筑巢习惯密切相关。蜣螂的筑巢习惯受生物特征（如体型）、非生物因素（如温度波动）和生物相互作用（如捕食者的存在/不存在）的影响。使用实验室，围隔和现场实验相结合的方法-我的研究计划的前五年将确定的重要性和脆弱性的生态系统服务支持的蜣螂。我的方法将侧重于三个相互关联的目标：目标1。量化农业生境和森林生境之间的生态系统服务交换确定地方尺度的环境质量如何影响性状变异和生态系统服务提供目标3。连接实验室和田间实验，以了解伊维菌素诱导的兴奋效应在蜣螂的生态相关性通过所述研究产生的知识将解决理解昆虫生物多样性和生态系统服务之间的联系的基本问题。由于蜣螂在自然景观和管理景观中提供广泛的生态系统服务，因此本研究计划产生的知识也将对农业生态系统的可持续管理具有很强的适用性。