Street lighting has detrimental impacts on local insect populations

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 7(35)

Published: Aug. 25, 2021

Reported declines in insect populations have sparked global concern, with artificial light at night (ALAN) identified as a potential contributing factor. Despite strong evidence that lighting disrupts range of behaviors, the empirical ALAN diminishes wild abundance is limited. Using matched-pairs design, we found street strongly reduced moth caterpillar compared unlit sites (47% reduction hedgerows and 33% grass margins) affected development. A separate experiment habitats no history revealed disrupted feeding behavior nocturnal caterpillars. Negative impacts were more pronounced under white light-emitting diode (LED) lights to conventional yellow sodium lamps. This indicates ongoing shift toward LEDs (i.e., narrow- broad-spectrum lighting) will substantial consequences for ecosystem processes.

Language: Английский

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Climate change drives reduced biocontrol of the invasive spongy moth

Nature Climate Change, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(2), P. 210 - 217

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

Language: Английский

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Arthropods are not declining but are responsive to disturbance in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 118(2)

Published: Jan. 11, 2021

A number of recent studies have documented long-term declines in abundances important arthropod groups, primarily Europe and North America. These are generally attributed to habitat loss, but a study [B.C. Lister, A. Garcia, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 115, E10397-E10406 (2018)] from the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) Puerto Rico global warming. We analyze data LEF evaluate trends within context hurricane-induced disturbance, secondary succession, temporal variation temperature. Our analyses demonstrate that responses disturbance ensuing succession were primary factors affected total canopy on host trees, as well walkingstick abundance understory shrubs. Ambient temperatures played roles for particular species, populations just likely increase they decrease with increasing The is hurricane-mediated system, major hurricanes effecting changes temperature larger than those induced thus far by climate change. To persist, arthropods must contend considerable abiotic conditions associated repeated, large-scale, increasingly frequent pulse disturbances. Consequently, be well-adapted effects change, at least over short term. Total after Hurricane Maria has risen levels comparable peak Hugo. Although some taxa declined 29-y period, others increased, reflecting species turnover response succession.

Language: Английский

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Crop visitation by wild bees declines over an 8‐year time series: A dramatic trend, or just dramatic between‐year variation?

Insect Conservation and Diversity, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 15(5), P. 522 - 533

Published: June 1, 2022

Abstract Despite widespread recognition of the need for long‐term monitoring pollinator abundances and pollination service provision, such studies are exceedingly rare. In this study, we assess changes in bee visitation net capture rates 73 species visiting watermelon crop flowers at 19 farms mid‐Atlantic region United States from 2005 to 2012. Over 8 years, found a 58% decline wild flowers, but no significant change honey rate. Most types bees showed similar declines both data; bumble bees, however, declined by 56% data rates. Trends services, that is, estimated pollen deposition, largely followed trends While detected large when using generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs), permutation analyses account non‐directional variation abundance were non‐significant, demonstrating challenge identifying describing highly variable populations. As far as aware, article represents one fewer than 10 published time‐series (defined >5 years data) abundance, only two conducted an agricultural setting. More needed order understand magnitude its ramifications pollination.

Language: Английский

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Global insect decline is the result of wilful political failure: A battle plan for entomology

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2022

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment assessed ecosystem change, human wellbeing and scientific evidence for sustainable use of biological systems. Despite intergovernmental acknowledgement the problem, global ecological decline has continued, including declines in insect biodiversity, which received much media attention recent years. Several roadmaps to averting have failed due various economic political factors, so biodiversity loss continues, driven by several interacting pressures. Humans are innately linked with nature but tend take it granted. benefits we gain from world broad, yet aversion or phobias invertebrates common, stand firmly path their successful conservation. Providing an integrated synthesis policy teams, conservation NGOs, academic researchers those interested public engagement, this article considers: (1) lack progress preserve protect insects. (2) Examples relating contributions insects make people worldwide, consequently what lose. (3) How engage public, governmental organizations through "insect people" better address declines. International will consistently acknowledged existence decline, apart a few narrow cases charismatic megafauna, little meaningful change been achieved. Public values reflected willpower, being made across world, changing views on should initiate much-needed sea-change. Taking both existing activity required future actions, outline entomologist's "battle plan" enormously expand our efforts become champions that natural needs.

Language: Английский

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Long‐term drought triggers severe declines in carabid beetles in a temperate forest

Ecography, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2024(4)

Published: Jan. 22, 2024

Evidence for widespread declines in arthropods is growing and climate change one of the suspected drivers. Recent droughts Europe were unprecedented previous centuries we are only beginning to understand impacts on ecosystems. We analysed a 24‐year dataset carabid beetles from temperate forest area northeast Germany investigated linear non‐linear trends abundance, biomass, diversity species traits. especially interested if how these linked at different temporal scales using standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). found significant abundance biomass with annual rates −3.1% (0.95 CI [−5.3, −1]) –4.9% [−9.4, −1.6]), respectively. Non‐linear closely related SPEI when considering climatic water balance six years showed severe between 2015 2022 (−71% 0.95 [−84, −61] / −89% [−97, −59]). However, there remained background‐decline −2.1% [−5.7, −0.2]) [−6.5, −0.1]), respectively, which occurred independently drought. observed negative metrics shift assemblage that less directly droughts. Declining drought‐sensitive tended be larger predators low dispersal abilities. This study among very first investigate current drought insects central Europe. Our findings add concerning amount evidence while pointing towards weather anomalies as important driver.

Language: Английский

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Rising minimum temperatures contribute to 50 years of occupancy decline among cold‐adapted Arctic and boreal butterflies in North America

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Abstract Global climate change has been identified as a potential driver of observed insect declines, yet in many regions, there are critical data gaps that make it difficult to assess how communities responding change. Poleward regions particular interest because warming is most rapid while biodiversity sparse. Building on recent advances occupancy modeling presence‐only data, we reconstructed 50 years (1970–2019) butterfly trends response rising minimum temperatures one the under‐sampled North America. Among 90 modeled species, found cold‐adapted species far more often decline compared with their warm‐adapted, southernly distributed counterparts. Furthermore, post hoc analysis using species' traits, find range‐wide average annual temperature only consistent predictor changes. Species warmer ranges were likely be increasing occupancy. This trend results majority butterflies probability over last years. Our provide first look at macroscale shifts high‐latitude These highlight leveraging wealth abundant source for inferring changes distributions.

Language: Английский

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Phenological sensitivity to temperature mediates herbivory

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 27(11), P. 2315 - 2327

Published: March 18, 2021

Abstract Species interactions drive ecosystem processes and are a major focus of global change research. Among the most consequential expected to shift with climate those between insect herbivores plants, both which highly sensitive temperature. Insect their host plants display varying levels synchrony that could be disrupted or enhanced by change, yet empirical data on changes in lacking. Using evidence herbivory herbarium specimens collected from northeastern United States France 1900 2015, we provide plant species temperature‐sensitive phenologies experience higher damage warmer years, while less temperature‐sensitive, co‐occurring do not. While might mediated warming phenology through multiple pathways, suggest lengthen growing seasons for phenologically species, exposing leaves longer periods time warm years. We propose elevated years may represent previously underappreciated cost phenological tracking over timescales.

Language: Английский

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Climate-induced forest dieback drives compositional changes in insect communities that are more pronounced for rare species

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: Jan. 18, 2022

Species richness, abundance and biomass of insects have recently undergone marked declines in Europe. We metabarcoded 211 Malaise-trap samples to investigate whether drought-induced forest dieback subsequent salvage logging had an impact on ca. 3000 species flying silver fir Pyrenean forests. While no measurable there were significant changes community composition that consistent with those observed during natural succession. Importantly, most driven by rare species. Variation was explained primarily canopy openness at the local scale, tree-related microhabitat diversity deadwood amount landscape scales. The levels our study did not explain compositional changes. conclude drives assemblages mimic succession, markedly increases risk catastrophic loss through homogenization environmental conditions.

Language: Английский

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Diets maintained in a changing world: Does land‐use intensification alter wild bee communities by selecting for flexible generalists?

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(5)

Published: May 1, 2022

Biodiversity loss, as often found in intensively managed agricultural landscapes, correlates with reduced ecosystem functioning, for example, pollination by insects, and altered plant composition, diversity, abundance. But how does this change floral resource diversity composition relate to occurrence use patterns of trap-nesting solitary bees? To better understand the impact land-use intensification on communities bees grasslands, we investigated their pollen foraging, reproductive fitness, nutritional quality larval food along a intensity gradient Germany. We bee species decrease increasing irrespective region-specific community compositions interaction networks. Land also strongly affected collected bees. Lack suitable sources likely explains absence several at sites high intensity. The only present throughout, Osmia bicornis (red mason bee), foraged largely different across sites. In doing so, it maintained relatively stable, albeit variable diets (i.e., protein lipid (P:L) ratio). observed changes bee-plant indicate that flexible generalists, such O. bicornis, may be able compensate strong alterations landscapes obtain sufficient through readily shifting alternative sources. contrast, other, less flexible, disappear.

Language: Английский

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