| Abstract | The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmental change, including land transformation and contamination, is causing concerning insect diversity loss, articulated in the companion review Scientists' warning to humanity on insect extinctions. Yet, despite a sound philosophical foundation, recognized ethical values, and scientific evidence, globally we are performing poorly at instigating effective insect conservation. As insects are a major component of the tapestry of life, insect conservation would do well to integrate better with overall biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This also involves popularizing insects, especially through use of iconic species, through more media coverage, and more inclusive education. Insect conservationists need to liaise better with decision makers, stakeholders, and land managers, especially at the conceptually familiar scale of the landscape. Enough evidence is now available, and synthesized here, which illustrates that multiple strategies work at local levels towards saving insects. We now need to expand these locally-crafted strategies globally. Tangible actions include ensuring maintenance of biotic complexity, especially through improving temporal and spatial heterogeneity, functional connectivity, and metapopulation dynamics, while maintaining unique habitats, across landscape mosaics, as well as instigating better communication. Key is to have more expansive sustainable agriculture and forestry, improved regulation and prevention of environmental risks, and greater recognition of protected areas alongside agro-ecology in novel landscapes. Future-proofing insect diversity is now critical, with the benefits far reaching, including continued provision of valuable ecosystem services and the conservation of a rich and impressive component of Earth's biodiversity. |
| Text | 417913 2020 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108427 Human well being Conservation action Conservation strategies Habitat management Climate change Species extinction Solutions for humanity on how to conserve insects 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 Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa b Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia c Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany d Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research LIBRe , Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus , PO17 Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13 , 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland e Osnabru ck University, Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Barbarastraße 11, D 49076 Osnabru ck, Germany f Evolutionary Zoology Group, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria g Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Science Weihenstephan, Technische Universita t Mu nchen, Freising, Germany h Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands i School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK j Trier University, Department of Biogeography, Universita tsring 15, D 54296 Trier, Germany k IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee, Trier University, Department of Biogeography, Universita tsring 15, D 54296 Trier, Germany l Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus , PO17 Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13 , 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland m Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, 117558, Singapore n Research Institute for Nature and Forest INBO , Species Diversity Group, Herman Teirlinckgebouw, Havenlaan 88, bus 73, B 1000 Brussels, Belgium o IRSA Water Research Institute, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Verbania, Italy p Laboratorio de Zoologi a y Ecologi a Acua tica LAZOEA , Universidad de los Andes, Bogota , Colombia q Center for Water Resources, Florida A M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA r Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA s Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland t Bioscience Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universita ria, s/n, 79060 300 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil u Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science TESS , James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia v UFZ Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, Theodor Lieser Str. 4, 06120 Halle, Germany w German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research iDiv , Halle Jena Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany x Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines, Los Ban os, College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines y Department of Water Science and Engineering, IHE, Delft 2611 AX, the Netherlands z Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa aa Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia ab Institut fu r Geoo kologie, TU Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19c, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmental change, including land transformation and contamination, is causing concerning insect diversity loss, articulated in the companion review Scientists warning to humanity on insect extinctions. Yet, despite a sound philosophical foundation, recognized ethical values, and scientific evidence, globally we are performing poorly at instigating effective insect conservation. As insects are a major component of the tapestry of life, insect conservation would do well to integrate better with overall biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This also involves popularizing insects, especially through use of iconic species, through more media coverage, and more inclusive education. Insect conservationists need to liaise better with decision makers, stakeholders, and land managers, especially at the conceptually familiar scale of the landscape. Enough evidence is now available, and synthesized here, which illustrates that multiple strategies work at local levels towards saving insects. We now need to expand these locally crafted strategies globally. Tangible actions include ensuring maintenance of biotic complexity, especially through improving temporal and spatial heterogeneity, functional connectivity, and metapopulation dynamics, while maintaining unique habitats, across landscape mosaics, as well as instigating better communication. Key is to have more expansive sustainable agriculture and forestry, improved regulation and prevention of environmental risks, and greater recognition of protected areas alongside agro ecology in novel landscapes. Future proofing insect diversity is now critical, with the benefits far reaching, including continued provision of valuable ecosystem services and the conservation of a rich and impressive component of Earth s biodiversity. 242 Published version http //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719317793 Rassegna della letteratura scientifica in rivista Literature review Elsevier, 0006 3207 Biological conservation Biological conservation Biol. conserv. Biological conservation. stefano.mammola MAMMOLA STEFANO |
