The "white grub" (Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea Melolonthidae) seen as a "soil engineer"

An updated review has been made on the potential of "white grubs" as beneficial insects for increasing soil fertility. Historically white grubs have been considered economic pests because they cause damage in diverse agricultural crops. However, many species of white grubs also consume plant residues in the decaying process. According to the written literature, white grubs may promote fertility in agricultural soils mainly through decomposition of organic matter, rendering humic substances in a similar way as earthworms do. Main activities in which white grubs are considered as soil engineers that may increase soil fertility are that: 1) white grubs may act as earthworms because they may positively affect soil physical functions through increasing soil pore space and improve drainage and aeration; 2) white grubs may affect soil chemical functions either by nutrient immobilization, nutrient distribution, mineralization and/or humification in a dynamic way acting like biological facilitators, and 3) white grubs may stimulate soil biological activities by increasing microbiological decomposition of organic matter and regulating soil biotic composition and exporting aboveground soil nutrients contained in the adult beetle. All of these activities may give us a different vision of the problem caused by white grub when it is regarded as a soil engineer and may inspire possible solutions for their management.