A 12-point program for insect diversity

Pollination in agriculture, gardens and nature; the dispersal of seeds; the development of fertile soils - the estimated 40,000 to 60,000 insect species are crucial for functioning ecosystems and thus for a livable Switzerland. In the context of the Red Lists, data on the development of populations exist for 1153 insect species. Of these, almost 60 percent are endangered or potentially endangered. This is the result of the first comprehensive status report "Insect Diversity in Switzerland", published by the Biodiversity Forum of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.

Biodiversity no longer guaranteed

Insects around water bodies or on wetlands and agricultural areas are under particular pressure. Widespread and heat-loving insects, on the other hand, have tended to spread further over the past 20 years. "Across large swaths of land, the same species are increasingly occurring," the researchers write. This standardization is also evident in birds and plants; on the Central Plateau as well as in the Jura, the Pre-Alps and the Alps. However, there is a lack of data on the development of the total amount of insects, the so-called biomass, for the whole of Switzerland. However, the researchers say that losses can be assumed to be similar to those in other European countries. In Germany, the biomass of flying insects has declined by more than 75 percent over the past three decades. The causes for the decline of insects in Switzerland are largely known: the continuing loss of habitats and structures and the decline in the quality of the remaining habitats due to overfertilization, pesticides or light pollution. Climate warming and invasive species are also putting pressure on insect populations.

Urgent remedy

According to the report, various instruments have been developed in recent decades to protect endangered habitats and species. These include the establishment and maintenance of protected areas, the enhancement and networking of habitats or biodiversity promotion areas in agriculture. These measures can certainly have an effect locally; however, overall they have not been able to halt the decline of insects. If insect diversity in Switzerland is to be preserved in the long term, existing instruments must be adapted and supplemented. To this end, the researchers propose a scientifically based 12-point program (see here: 12-point program insects). The measures formulated support and complement each other and should be approached in parallel and integrally.

Source: Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT)