Which ecosystem service is MOST directly provided by dung beetles in terrestrial ecosystems?

• A. Primary production by converting sunlight into chemical energy via photosynthesis
• B. Pollination of flowering plants as their primary food source
• C. Nitrogen fixation by converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia in plant root nodules
• D. Nutrient cycling and soil aeration through dung burial and decomposition

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what ecosystem services are: they are the benefits that organisms provide to the environment and humans, such as pollination, nutrient cycling, or soil formation.
2. Identify the role of dung beetles in terrestrial ecosystems: dung beetles primarily feed on animal feces and are known for burying dung underground.
3. Recognize that by burying and decomposing dung, dung beetles contribute to nutrient cycling, which involves breaking down organic matter and returning nutrients to the soil.
4. Note that this activity also helps aerate the soil, improving soil structure and promoting plant growth.
5. Compare the given options and conclude that the service most directly provided by dung beetles is nutrient cycling and soil aeration through dung burial and decomposition, rather than primary production, pollination, or nitrogen fixation.