| Abstract | Here we build on the manifesto 'World Scientists' Warning to Humanity, issued by the Alliance of World Scientists. As a group of conservation biologists deeply concerned about the decline of insect populations, we here review what we know about the drivers of insect extinctions, their consequences, and how extinctions can negatively impact humanity. We are causing insect extinctions by driving habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, use of polluting and harmful substances, the spread of invasive species, global climate change, direct overexploitation, and co-extinction of species dependent on other species. With insect extinctions, we lose much more than species. We lose abundance and biomass of insects, diversity across space and time with consequent homogenization, large parts of the tree of life, unique ecological functions and traits, and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. Such losses lead to the decline of key ecosystem services on which humanity depends. From pollination and decomposition, to being resources for new medicines, habitat quality indication and many others, insects provide essential and irreplaceable services. We appeal for urgent action to close key knowledge gaps and curb insect extinctions. An investment in research programs that generate local, regional and global strategies that counter this trend is essential. Solutions are available and implementable, but urgent action is needed now to match our intentions. |
| Text | 417912 2020 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108426 Arthropods Biodiversity loss Centinelan extinctions Drivers of extinction Ecosystem services Threatened species Scientists warning to humanity on insect extinctions Pedro Cardoso; Philip S. Barton; Klaus Birkhofer; Filipe Chichorro; Charl Deacon; Thomas Fartmann; Caroline S. Fukushima; Ren Gaigher; Jan C. Habel; Caspar A. Hallmann; Matthew J. Hill; Axel Hochkirch; Mackenzie L. Kwak; Stefano Mammola; Jorge Ari Noriega; Alexander B. Orfinger; Fernando Pedraza; James S. Pryke; Fabio O. Roque; Josef Settele; John P. Simaika; Nigel E. Stork; Frank Suhling; Carlien Vorster; Michael J. Samways a Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research LIBRe , Finnish Museum of Natural History LUOMUS , PO17 Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13 , 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland b Fenner School of Environment Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia c Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany d Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa e Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabru ck University, Barbarastraße 11, D 49076 Osnabru ck, Germany f Evolutionary Zoology, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria g Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg, 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands h School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK i Trier Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Universita tsring 15, D 54296 Trier, Germany j IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee, Universita tsring 15, D 54296 Trier, Germany k Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, 117558, Singapore l IRSA Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy m Laboratorio de Zoologi a y Ecologi a Acua tica LAZOEA , Universidad de los Andes, Bogota , Colombia n Center for Water Resources, Florida A M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA o Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA p Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH 8057 Zu rich, Switzerland q Bioscience Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universita ria, s/n, 79060 300 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil r Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science TESS , James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia. s Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, Theodor Lieser Str. 4, 06120 Halle, Germany t German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research iDiv Halle Jena Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany u Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Ban os, College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines v Department of Water Science and Engineering, IHE Delft, 2611 AX, the Netherlands w Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa x Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia y Institute of Geoecology, Department Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Langer Kamp 19c, D 38106 Braunschweig, Germany Here we build on the manifesto World Scientists Warning to Humanity, issued by the Alliance of World Scientists. As a group of conservation biologists deeply concerned about the decline of insect populations, we here review what we know about the drivers of insect extinctions, their consequences, and how extinctions can negatively impact humanity. We are causing insect extinctions by driving habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, use of polluting and harmful substances, the spread of invasive species, global climate change, direct overexploitation, and co extinction of species dependent on other species. With insect extinctions, we lose much more than species. We lose abundance and biomass of insects, diversity across space and time with consequent homogenization, large parts of the tree of life, unique ecological functions and traits, and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. Such losses lead to the decline of key ecosystem services on which humanity depends. From pollination and decomposition, to being resources for new medicines, habitat quality indication and many others, insects provide essential and irreplaceable services. We appeal for urgent action to close key knowledge gaps and curb insect extinctions. An investment in research programs that generate local, regional and global strategies that counter this trend is essential. Solutions are available and implementable, but urgent action is needed now to match our intentions. 242 Published version http //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719317823 Rassegna della letteratura scientifica in rivista Literature review Elsevier, 0006 3207 Biological conservation Biological conservation Biol. conserv. Biological conservation. stefano.mammola MAMMOLA STEFANO |
