The first global scientific review on biodiversity published at the start of the year 2019 is overdoing Professor Wilson’s prognosis regarding the trends of the sixth major extinction of insects. Professor Dave Goulson[1] at the University of Sussex in United Kingdom stated: “The evidence all points in the same direction. It should be of huge concern to all of us for insects are at the heart of every food web, they pollinate the majority of plant species, keep the soil healthy, recycle nutrients, control pests, and much more. Love them, or loath them we humans cannot survive without them.”[2]

            The global scientific review published in the journal of Biological Conservation selected the 13 best assessment studies done by the beginning of 2019 regarding the insect masses decline. The study reports that the rate of animal loss of insects worldwide is of 2.5% what means than in 50 years only half of the today insect masses will be left.[3]

            We should remember that insects are the food source for many birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish-what means that these animals will starve to death further impacting the equilibrium of eco systems.

            The global scientific review reveals that the number of widespread butterflies species fell by 57 % of farmed land in England during a period of 10 years (2000-2009) [4],[5], the ground insects in Puerto Rico had fallen by 95 % over 35 years [6], while the mass of insects in Germany has collapsed by 75 %[7] in protected areas.

The causes of worldwide insect species extinction are multiple, to mention a few: intensive agriculture destruction of habitats, by overpopulation, urbanization, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and climate change.

            The question is: “What to do?” The answer is simple: “Everyone of us can act to reverse these dreadful trends, by focusing on support activities on some species deeply entrenched in the Tree of Life.

 

Foot Notes

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[1] Kris A.G. Wyckhuys, Kris A.G.; Francisco Sanchez-Bayo.2019, “Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A Review of its drivers,” sciencedirect.com.BiologicalConservation,04 2019, 232:8-27,LastAccessed 09.12.2019,https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ab/pii/

S0006320718313636.

[2] Damian Carrington, 2019, “Plummeting insect numbers ‘threaten collapse of nature’ Exclusive: Insects could vanish within a century at current rate of decline, says global review,” The guardian, The guardian.com, 19 February, 2019, Last Accessed 12.09.2019, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-thretaen-collapse-of-nature

[3] Kris A.G. Wyckhuys,.; Francisco Sanchez-Bayo.2019, “Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A Review of its drivers,” sciencedirect.com.BiologicalConservation,04 2019, 232:8-27,LastAccessed 09.12.2019,https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ab/pii/

S0006320718313636.

[4] Caspar A, Hallmann.; Martin Sorg.; Eelke Jongejans,; Nick Holland,; Heinz Schwan,; Werner Stenmans,; Andreas Mueller,; Hubert Smuser,; Thomas Hoerren,; Dave Goulsom,; Hans De Kroon,;.2017, „ More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying inset biomass in protected areas,”PloSONE,12,No.2;DOI:10.1371/journal.pomne.0185809.LastAccessedDecember10,2019,https://www.researchagte.net/publication/320474864

[5]Damian, Carrington, 2019, “Plummeting insect numbers ‘threaten collapse of nature’ Exclusive: Insects could vanish within a century at current rate of decline, says global review,” The guardian, The guardian.com, 19 February, 2019, Last Accessed 12.09.2019, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-thretaen-collapse-of-nature

[6] Damian Carrington, 2019, “Plummeting insect numbers ‘threaten collapse of nature’ Exclusive: Insects could vanish within a century at current rate of decline, says global review,” The guardian, The guardian.com, 19 February, 2019, Last Accessed 12.09.2019, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-thretaen-collapse-of-nature

[7]  Tina Baier 2017, “Insektensterben: Rueckgang um 75 prozent in Deutschland.“( „Insect Extinction: Decrease by 76 percent in Germany), Die Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Sueddeutschte.de. 18 Oktober, 2017, Last Accessed 12.09.2019, https://www.dueddeutsche.de/wissen/insketemsterben-dramtischer-insketenschwund-in-deutschland-1.3713567.”