Recent analyzes have shown that the combined pressure of climate change and intensive agriculture has halved the number of insects in several regions of the world.
dramatic effects
In the context of work published in the journal Naturescientists from theUniversity College of London used the database PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) to assess the impact of climate change and agriculture on more than 17,000 insect species, distributed across thousands of sites around the world, over the past two decades.
The researchers found that in areas combining intensive agriculture and significant warming, mainly located in the tropics, the total number of insects (abundance) and of different species (diversity) were respectively 49% and 29% lower, compared to compared to the most spared natural habitats.
Intensive agriculture is generally characterized by the use of phytosanitary products, a low diversity of crops, large fields and a high density of livestock. The authors of this research predict that this loss of insect biodiversity will reduce ecosystem services essential to this type of industry, in particular pest control and pollination, as well as the overall resilience of ecosystems to future climate events.
A striking contrast
This new research also demonstrates the importance of having large and diverse natural habitats close to agricultural land so that insects are not dependent on a single type of seasonal crop.
In areas with low agricultural intensity with high levels of available natural cover (75% on average), abundance was only reduced by 7% and diversity by 5%, compared to 63% and 61%, respectively, in places where natural habitat levels were significantly lower (25% cover).
” Such results show that insect biodiversity is likely to benefit from mitigating climate change, preserving natural habitats and reducing agricultural intensity. “, conclude the researchers.
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