Study finds 41.4% of insect orders not covered by sufficient number of scientists
Insects play a significant role in the functioning of healthy ecosystems and human well-being. Photo: iStock Insect numbers around the world are facing a devastating “hidden” collapse due to the twin threats of climate change and habitat loss and the experts who recognise their species and biodiversity are not safe either. Taxonomic expertise in Europe is at serious risk, according to a new report.
The analysis was compiled by European organisation of Natural History Museums, Botanic Gardens and Research Centers CETAF, global authority on the natural world International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the independent academic publishing company Pensoft.
Read more: Humanity must prevent the insect apocalypse
The data was taken from a recent study commissioned by the European Union (EU). Scientists who specialise in the identification and discovery of insect species — also known as insect taxonomists — are declining across Europe, it highlighted.
Insects play a significant role in the functioning of healthy ecosystems and human well-being. By providing vital services such as pollination, matter decomposition, and bio-control, they greatly influence the living world, the European Red List of Insect Taxonomists said.
The ability and expertise to recognise insect species and biodiversity are fundamental for their conservation. However, there is increasing concern regarding our capacity to identify insects and describe and name new insect species, it added.
The report was based upon a quantitative analysis of taxonomic papers published in scientific journals during the last decade, as well as an online questionnaire. A detailed overview has been given of the taxonomic capacity for each insect order and for each EU country.
Different perspectives within biodiversity science, including natural history and research institutions, nature conservation, academia and scholarly publishing, were represented by the authors of the report.
Read more: The world of six-legged creatures
Europe has been losing taxonomic expertise at a high rate despite the global significance of its taxonomic collections. At the moment, nearly half (41.4 per cent) of the insect orders are not covered by a sufficient number of scientists, the report found.
If only EU countries are counted, the number looks only slightly more positive (34.5 per cent). Even the four largest insect orders: Beetles (Coleoptera), moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), flies (Diptera) and wasps, bees, ants and sawflies (Hymenoptera) are only adequately ‘covered’ in a fraction of the countries.
The report called to the community of experts to bring their expertise into the public focus and a call to society at large to acknowledge the role of taxonomy and support its sustainability in the long term.
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