TERN’s dung beetle research in Sri Lanka explores their role as bio-indicators of ecosystem health, linking diversity and abundance to nutrient cycling and forest integrity. Building on fragmentation studies, TERN expanded into nationwide outreach funded by the British Ecological Society, engaging schools, farmers, and communities. Recent work includes developing a “Dung Beetle Audit Tool” for tea landscapes and a PhD study using taxonomy and eDNA, advancing conservation planning and sustainable ecosystem management.

Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage, a founder of TERN, conducted her PhD research on how tropical forest modification and fragmentation affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, using dung beetles as the focal taxon. Initially, amphibians, butterflies, and dung beetles were studied, but dung beetles proved to be the most effective indicators due to their sensitivity to habitat change and ease of sampling. A reference collection was established through Island-wide dung beetle sampling and taxonomically verified at ATREE (India) and the Natural History Museum of the University of Oxford. The study revealed strong links between dung beetle diversity and mammal diversity across Sri Lanka’s bioclimatic zones. Further studies in primary and secondary forests, tea plantations, home gardens, and 20 forest fragments showed that human land use reduced dung beetle diversity and altered community composition, while smaller, isolated fragments supported significantly different communities than primary forests. Importantly, dung beetle richness and abundance were directly tied to ecosystem functions such as dung removal and nutrient cycling, both of which declined under disturbed land uses. This research provides critical insights into how biodiversity loss undermines ecosystem functioning in Sri Lanka and offers scientific recommendations for conserving forests and improving the ecological value of managed landscapes. Findings also contributed to the IUCN Red Data Book for Sri Lanka.

Dung Beetles as a Bridge Between Science and Communities

Building on earlier research, TERN led an outreach program funded by the British Ecological Society to raise awareness of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, using dung beetles as a focal species. Programs were held in diverse regions of Sri Lanka, from Hambantota and Bundala in the arid south, to Belihuloya and Balangoda in the hill country, to Jaffna in the north, and the montane and wet zones of Horton Plains and Sinharaja. Each program combined lectures, discussions, and field activities tailored to local communities. Students planted butterfly gardens, farmers explored dung beetle–friendly agricultural practices, and undergraduates engaged in hands-on sampling and identification of species. The initiative not only introduced ecology in practical ways but also encouraged local stewardship of ecosystems.
The program also created important networks with schools, universities, farmer associations, and government agencies. It strengthened the skills of young researchers in communicating science and inspired farmers to integrate traditional knowledge with ecological practices. Follow-up work has already led to long-term projects, including biodiversity monitoring at Girithale, ecological studies in Jaffna, and collaborative conservation with Bundala farmer communities.
Advancing Research with Dung Beetles Building on earlier outreach and fieldwork, TERN has continued to expand dung beetle research and its applications. Educational programs across Sri Lanka now highlight the use of biological indicators to understand the impacts of land-use change on biodiversity. A recent postgraduate study developed a “Dung Beetle Audit Tool” that combines species richness, functional groups, and dung removal rates as rapid indicators in environmental assessments. By linking biodiversity with soil carbon modelling, this framework demonstrates how ecological health can directly support the sustainability and global competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s tea industry, with potential to scale to other plantation crops. TERN was one of the collaborators of this work, where the project was supported by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka under the permission of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Most recently, TERN is collaborating on a PhD project integrating taxonomy, environmental DNA (eDNA), and conservation status evaluation to provide cutting-edge insights into Sri Lanka’s dung beetle diversity and its conservation value. The study will be conducted in Sri Lanka, led by the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.