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Insect population collapse -

Overuse of land, resources, and global warming are pushing insect ecosystems towards collapse in some parts of the world, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

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An alarming link -

The study, compiled by a team of top scientists, identifies for the first time a clear and alarming link between the ever-present climate emergency and high-intensity agriculture.

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Worrying decline -

In places where those impacts are especially high, insect abundance has already dropped by a worryingly 50%, the report adds. Furthermore, a 27% decline in insect species has been recorded.

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A vital role -

Insects play a vital role in ecosystems, and the climate crisis is exponentially pushing important ecosystems towards extinction. In turn, the planet is facing an insect apocalypse.

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Pollinators -

Insects in all their buzzing, crawling, and hovering glory pollinate and help food production. In fact, nearly 90% of flowering plant species and 75% of crop plant species depend on pollination by animals—mostly insects.

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Essential to the ecosystem -

Although they appear small and insignificant, insects are an essential cog in the ecosystem machine. So essential, in fact, that the loss of them could threaten human health and food security, according to One Green Planet.

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An impending crisis -

In a 2019 interview with CNN, David Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, warned of the impending crisis and the importance of insects in the world. "Three quarters of our crops depend on insect pollinators," said Goulson. Without them, "crops will begin to fail."

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No insects, no food -

Overall, notes National Geographic, one out of every three bites of food humans eat relies on animal pollination in the production process. Without insects, crops can't reproduce and humans and animals lose key food sources.

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Concerns -

Charlotte Outhwaite, the lead author of the study and researcher at the University College London, believes the report raises huge concerns, and its findings "may only represent the tip of the iceberg."

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What are the consequences? -

Also speaking with CNN, Charlotte Outhwaite elaborated and warned that because of the limited amount of evidence collated in some regions of the world, the findings may not truly represent the scale of the potential collapse. "There are also a lot of consequences that we probably don't really know because obviously there are so many different kinds of insects."

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The insects' role -

By feeding on crop-threatening pests, predatory insects perform the role of pesticides without chemicals. Among the farmers' favorite is the damsel bug (pictured). In just one day, these critters can gobble up a million aphids in half a hectare (1 acre) of cropland.

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Decomposers -

The industrious dung beetle collects, feeds on, and helps decompose the feces of grazing animals. Waste-eating insects like this one unlock nutrients for use by the ecosystem that would otherwise stagnate in droppings.

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Soil engineers -

Termites and ants are nature's earth engineers. Working in their millions in an astonishing coordinated manner, these insects can transform soil in hot, dry climates. Their intricate tunneling systems aerate hard ground, helping it retain water and adding nutrients.

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High-intensity farming -

The report underlines high-intensity livestock farming as one of the most damaging practices harming the planet. This method of agriculture requires a large field size, mass amounts of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and yields low crop diversity.

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Unsustainable -

Health and environment website One Green Planet meanwhile suggests that "the food that needs to be produced to feed the mass amount of animals we produce is not sustainable, and experts theorize that we will run out of food to feed the planet by 2050 if we don’t change something soon."

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The climate effect -

The Nature report's authors point out that extreme land use has a compound effect with the climate crisis. Razing natural habitats for agriculture can dramatically alter the area's local climate and trigger temperature extremes.

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Reductions in insect biodiversity -

During their research, scientists identified substantial declines in insect populations in areas of the world that are much warmer, particularly in the tropics. It's in these regions where Charlotte Outhwaite noted finding disturbing reductions in insect biodiversity.

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Twenty years' of research -

The report, 'Agriculture and climate change are reshaping insect biodiversity worldwide,' is the result of analyzed data collated over a 20-year period from more than 6,000 locations around the globe.

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Nearly 18,000 insects studied -

Researchers studied nearly 18,000 insect species, including butterflies, moths, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and bees.

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Percentage differences -

They concluded that in areas with low-intensity agriculture, less climate warming, and a nearby natural habitat, insects only declined by 7%, compared to the 63% decrease in areas with less natural habitat cover.

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Plants for shade -

Less natural habitat cover could leave insects more exposed and vulnerable to warming temperatures. On sweltering days especially, many insects rely on plants for shade, including this sleepy butterfly.

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No ecosystems, no insects -

Indeed, numerous insect species count on abundant foliage for shade and protection. And as the plants and ecosystems die off, so will the insects.

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Food chain -

It's also worth noting that insects are in nearly every food chain. Many larger animals—birds, bats, amphibians, and fish—eat insects. Scientists believe the decline in insect numbers is suspected to be a leading cause of dwindling bird populations.

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Aquatic insects -

Aquatic insects are equally threatened by climate change as much as their terrestrial cousins. Prolonged drought can dry up rivers and streams, and seriously deplete larger bodies of fresh water such as lakes and manmade reservoirs.

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How can we help? -

While the report makes for sobering reading, there is still time to reverse the trend, insists Charlotte Outhwaite. And there are things we can do at an individual level to help stave off the crisis.

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Grassroots-level solutions -

Planting more native species and wildflowers is a simple and immediate way of promoting insect diversity.

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How does your garden grow? -

Limiting the frequency of lawn mowing and reducing, or better still excluding, the use of pesticides in the garden can also encourage the growth of insect populations.

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The bigger picture -

On a broader level, Outhwaite urges people to think carefully about where their food is sourced. If it's cultivated in the tropics, for example, chances are there's a high impact on biodiversity.

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Fair trade -

Ultimately, however, it's up to governments to recognize the negative impact of trade and food production, for example if it means sourcing produce "from areas which are implementing deforestation."

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Tipping point -

"In terms of a potential tipping point where the loss of insects causes whole ecosystems to collapse, the honest answer is we just don't know when the point of no return is," Tom Oliver, a professor of applied ecology at the UK's University of Reading, told CNN. Oliver, who wasn't involved in the study, added solemnly: "We know that you can't just keep losing species without, ultimately, causing a catastrophic outcome."

Sources: (Nature) (National Geographic) (One Green Planet) (CNN)

See also: Ferocious flying insects you don't want to meet

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