Scientists are charting worrying declines in global insect populations, caused by factors including the use of herbicides, particularly neonicotinoids, habitat loss, urbanization and climate change. The study is published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution, a journal that covers all aspects of ecology and evolution. Insects also transform plants into protein and provide food for a huge range of other species. They also play an essential role in decomposition processes that maintain ecosystems and keep cities and roadsides free of waste. I asked my guide, a society member named Martin Sorg, who was one of the lead authors of the paper, whether those dates reflected when the specimens were collected. Researchers are calling for international action to combat the problem, including cooperation on infrastructure planning that integrates insect habitats.
Scientists are charting worrying declines in global insect populations, caused by factors including the use of herbicides, particularly neonicotinoids, habitat loss, urbanization and climate change. The study is published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution, a journal that covers all aspects of ecology and evolution. Insects also transform plants into protein and provide food for a huge range of other species. They also play an essential role in decomposition processes that maintain ecosystems and keep cities and roadsides free of waste. Researchers are calling for international action to combat the problem, including cooperation on infrastructure planning that integrates insect habitats.