Photo credit: www.sciencedaily.com
A collaborative effort spearheaded by ecologists from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is set to explore the troubling trend of declining insect populations within tropical forests worldwide. Recognized as the most prevalent and varied group of animals on the planet, insects are currently facing drastic reductions, prompting this significant research endeavor. The initiative is driven by Dr. Michael Boyle and Professor Louise Ashton from HKU’s School of Biological Sciences, alongside contributions from Dr. Adam Sharp, Dr. Martha Ledger, Dr. Michel Dongmo, and Professor Timothy Bonebrake. This international research network includes scientists from continents such as South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe, demonstrating how global scientific cooperation can lead to innovative solutions for urgent environmental issues.
Assessing Insect Populations in a Shifting Ecosystem
Insects are pivotal for ecosystem health; however, they may be on a worrying trajectory of decline on a global scale. Much of the existing research has primarily focused on findings from Europe, leaving a gap in knowledge about insect species that predominantly inhabit tropical rainforests. These regions present unique challenges for insects, including the impacts of urbanization, habitat destruction, and pollution resulting from agricultural practices. Particularly vulnerable are tropical island ecosystems, where invasive species have already led to the extinction of many endemic insect species. On a broader scale, climate change exacerbates these threats not only through rising temperatures but also by disrupting essential weather patterns such as El Niño and La Niña.
The research team underscores the critical implications of declining insect diversity, which could have far-reaching effects on ecosystem functions, including carbon cycling—potentially influencing global climate patterns. These shifts could also trigger escalated outbreaks of pest-related diseases such as dengue and malaria in humans, alongside impacts on livestock health, thereby threatening food security and overall global health. The scientists acknowledge the existing knowledge gaps, predominantly due to inadequate data collected from tropical forest environments, but highlight that advancements in artificial intelligence and genetic techniques may soon help to overcome these obstacles.
“The review reveals substantial reasons for concern about the status of tropical insects despite the relative scarcity of data in these regions,” stated Professor Timothy Bonebrake, a principal author of the review. “It emphasizes the urgent need for further research as well as immediate actions to protect habitats and implement necessary conservation measures to preserve tropical biodiversity.”
Establishing a Framework for Future Investigations
Over the last three years, the research team has engaged in comprehensive field investigations across tropical areas of Australia and Asia, revisiting sites where insect studies had previously been conducted. Current research activities include examinations in Lamington National Park, Australia, and the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Borneo, focusing on capturing ants, moths, beetles, and butterflies with specialized traps to evaluate how climate change has altered these populations over the past two decades. Similar research efforts are also being initiated in Yunnan, China, and Daintree, Australia, utilizing tower cranes for insect collection from rainforest canopies.
The goal is to analyze the ecological roles of various insect species and gauge how changes in their populations may affect tropical forest ecosystems. The researchers suspect that vital functions provided by beneficial insects, such as those involved in regulating forest growth through herbivory and nutrient cycling, are diminishing. This level of analysis is unprecedented, leveraging extensive data from numerous tropical forest sites over significant time frames.
“While most insect decline studies have concentrated on altered landscapes in Europe and North America, the majority of insect diversity exists in the tropics,” explained Professor Louise Ashton, the review’s corresponding author. “The absence of long-term monitoring data in these vital regions means we lack a complete understanding of the temporal dynamics of insect diversity. Our review, along with associated projects, aims to address this issue, compiling new long-term insect data to shed light on potential declines in tropical insect populations and the subsequent repercussions for ecological health.”
Source
www.sciencedaily.com