What are the causes of extinction of insects?

The main reasons for this worrying trend are industrial agriculture as well as intensification of land use through construction development, climate change and the spread of invasive animal species as a result of human trafficking

These are the main conclusions reached in this study, co-authored by Florian Menzel of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (JGU). “As evidence of the global collapse in insect populations has increased in recent years, we decided it was time to publish this special issue. Our goal was not to document the decline in insect populations, but to better understand its causes and consequences. That’s real,” said Menzel.

Threats feed each other

“In light of the available results, we found that not only intensified land use, global warming and increased dispersal of invasive species were responsible for the global extinction of insects, but also, in addition, All these factors interact with each other.Menzel added it.

For example, Human-made ecosystems are more vulnerable to climate change So are insect societies. In addition, invasive species can more easily locate themselves in damaged habitats human use of land and displacement of native species.

Thus, while many insect species decline or become extinct, a few insect species, including invasive species, thrive and multiply. This leads to a increasing homogenization of insect communities in all habitats.

“It seems that specific types of insects suffer the most, while the more general species tend to survive. So now we’re finding more insects that can live almost anywhere, while species that need specific habitats are decreasing,” Menzel said.

The consequences of this situation are numerous and often detrimental to ecosystems. For example, The loss of wasp diversity has led to a reduction in plants dependent on certain wasp species. for pollination.

“Broadly speaking, the decline in insect diversity threatens the stability of ecosystems. Fewer species means fewer insects that can pollinate plants and control pests. And of course that also means less food for insectivorous birds and other animals. Therefore, their existence may be at risk due to the reduction in insect numbers.”

Create nature reserves for insects

In their work, Menzel, Gossner, and Simons propose several ways we can better respond to the serious threat posed by their research. For starters, they advocate a specific strategy for future research on beetle decline. They provide this Standardized techniques should be used to monitor insect diversity in many habitats and countries.because the status of insects in many parts of the world is still unknown.

Researchers also recommend: creation of an interconnected network of nature reserves so that species can move from one habitat to another. Therefore, insects that are less tolerant of heat may migrate from areas where global warming is causing temperatures to rise to higher altitudes or to colder regions to the north.

They also claim measures to reduce the spread of invasive animal and plant species, mainly due to trade and tourism. “This is another problem that has become extremely serious in recent years,” Menzel said. An example is the invasion of non-native insectivorous fish in Brazil, which has caused a massive decline in freshwater insects.

Reference work: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023,0007

……

Contact address of the environment department: crizclimatica@prensaiberica.es