Bettiah: A new scientific study conducted at state’s lone tiger reserve, the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district, has revealed remarkable dung beetle diversity, highlighting their role in maintaining ecological balance through nutrient recycling and soil enrichment.Researchers recorded around 75 species of dung beetles in the reserve. Of these, 45 species were closely analysed for their association with mammalian dung, highlighting the strong link between insect diversity, large mammals and forest health. The study has been published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology.Field surveys carried out across two forest types in the reserve yielded more than 5,645 individual dung beetles. The sal forest with Phoenix vegetation emerged as a biodiversity hotspot, supporting around 2,680 beetles belonging to 45 species while the mixed moist deciduous forest recorded around 965 beetles across 30 species.“Dung beetles are a vital but often ignored component of forest ecosystems,” said Sourabh Verma, the study’s lead researcher and a biologist associated with the reserve. “Their diversity and abundance closely reflect the presence of large mammals and the quality of forest habitat. A decline in dung beetles is often an early warning sign of ecological stress,” he added.Dung beetles depend on animal dung for food and reproduction, but in the process they provide critical ecological services. By breaking down and burying dung, they enrich the soil with nutrients, improve water infiltration, reduce parasite loads and aid seed dispersal, directly supporting forest regeneration and productivity, he added.The study found that dung from large herbivores such as elephants and gaur supported the highest number of beetle species, highlighting the role of megafauna in sustaining insect communities. In contrast, dung from smaller herbivores such as sambar deer attracted fewer species. While many beetles were generalists, capable of using different dung types, some showed strong specialisation depending on dung texture and nutrient content.According to Verma, maintaining this balance between generalist and specialist species is essential for ecosystem resilience. “When forests lose key mammals due to habitat degradation or poaching, these invisible but essential services begin to collapse,” he said.The findings are significant for the Terai Arc Landscape, where the reserve forms the easternmost forest block. Any decline in large herbivores could have cascading effects on dung beetles, soil health and forest regeneration
