More than 40 per cent of insect species declining, threatening ‘catastrophic’ results, says study
- Dung beetles, butterflies, moths, bees and wasps are among those species that appear to be the most affected
- Intensive agriculture and urbanisation, pollution and climate change as key reasons for the rapid declines
More than 40 per cent of the world’s insect species could go extinct over the next several decades leading to “catastrophic” results for the planet’s various ecosystems, a new study says.
The study published in the April edition of the peer-reviewed journal Biological Conservation said dung beetles, butterflies, moths, bees and wasps are among those species that appear to be the most affected.
“The repercussions this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least, as insects are at the structural and functional base of many of the world’s ecosystems,” reads an excerpt from the study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland and the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Insects are at the structural and functional base of many of the world’s ecosystems
The study is based on a review of 73 comprehensive reports from around the world detailing insect declines.
The study said more than 60 per cent of dung beetles in Mediterranean countries are in decline, while one in six species of bees have gone regionally extinct.
Researchers note most studies on extinction among species tend to focus on birds or mammals, but insects were under-represented despite their “paramount importance” in keeping ecosystems functioning.
The study advises several changes to slow or halt the decline, including a serious reduction in the use of pesticides.