Udawalawe Asian elephant dung ecology: seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and dung beetle diversity?

Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) function as vital ecological engineers in Udawalawe National Park. An adult elephant consumes over 150kg of vegetation daily, digesting only 45% of its fibrous intake. An elephant produces up to 100kg of nutrient-rich dung daily distributed in 15 to 20 piles. Elephant digestive tracts do not destroy seeds of woody plants (such as Acacia, Wood Apple / Limonia acidissima, and Palu); instead, stomach acids scarify tough seed coats, accelerating germination once deposited in moist, organic dung piles. The dung also supports dozens of scarab dung beetle species that bury feces, aerating compact soils.