insect conservation

Question 1

why is it important to conserve insects

Answer 1

• Support ecosystem services = large scale
• Keystone species
• Theres loads of them = abundant = functional roles
• Bioindicators
• Still undescribed species which could have beneficial effects

Question 2

why is it hard to ‘just conserve’ them

Answer 2

lack of funding at support
= from the IUCN only 5993 species have been evaluated and 1702 of these species is data deficient
= other factors such as vulnerability, public support, lack of taxonomic knowledge also pose an issue

= unlikley to know the full extent of threatened spp for any areas and therefore the conservation needs
= if we cant categorise threats cant manage or conserve

Question 3

why is understanding population data or risk of extinction challenging

Answer 3

1) number of insects is massive
2) seaosnal behaviour
3) natural fluctuations in population = metapopulations constant flux with local exintions and repopulations

Question 4

how does lack of knowledge surrounding insect taxonomy lead to conservation bias

Answer 4

• Many insects have subspecies not clearly defined
• Some species not taxonomically described
• Conservation therefore focuses on better-known
  insects, e.g. butterflies
• Relationships between insects (mutualisms, etc.)
  add complication

Question 5

what human activities are threatening the survival of a quarter of insect spp

Answer 5

o habitat destruction (tropics = greatest insect diversity)
o invasive alien organisms
o certain biological control practices
o use of pathogens
o genetically modified crops
o global climate change
* Threats interact, causing synergistic effects

Question 6

what are some consequences of human threats

Answer 6

1) decreased abdundance and biomass
2) differences in space and time
3) decreased phylogentic diversity
4) decreased functional diversity
5) decreased networks

Question 7

what are some important things to consider which might be forgotten about when conserving insects

Answer 7

o Finer scale features such as microclimate,
food needs, and presence of mutualists
o All resources needed by all life stages o Connectivity and landscape features that
may also pose barriers to dispersal
o Species operating in metapopulations
rather than populations
* Climate change will alter ranges and
synchrony

Question 8

what is artificial light at night aka ALAN

Answer 8

the alteration of light and dark periods on daily or seasonal time scales is essential for synchronisation of physiological and behavioural processes
= in last 20 yrs aritifical light at night increased disrupting photoperiodism and other processes
= impacts survival and reproduction and considered major concern for biodiversity and human health

Question 9

give some examples of disrupted processes caused by ALAN

Answer 9

1) Positively phototatic insects = attracted to light = beetles and moths
2) Negatively phototatic = change behaviour to avoid light
= changes in behaviour
3) Polarised light = artificial light at night amplifies poalrised light = used by insects in many wyas= mass swarms of mayfliesmass loss of life = ecological trap
4) Loss of light = interfere with light e.g. cellstical cues for orientation, mating etc
5) Extending foraging times whilst fully nocturnal noyt coming-out till later = constratcing foraging times
6) Alter developmemt and phenology
7) Phenological mismatches =

Question 10

outline insects as flagship spp

Answer 10

• Insects generally have a poorer status
  with public than other species -
  detrimental to conservation efforts
• Helped by promoting as flagship species,
  attractive species used to promote the
  group for wider conservation education
• Flagship species usually attractive and
  charismatic species, so insect flagships
  mostly butterflies, dragonflies and beetles
• Publicity and education is important factor
  for insect conservation

Question 11

there are case studies which need to be learnt on powerpoint = refer to these