 Figure 1. Where did all the bugs go?!? My window sure is clean though! written by: Robert Salerno Have you noticed throughout the past few decades that the windshield of your vehicle rarely seems to receive smudges from collisions with insects anymore? Is it because the aerodynamics of your vehicle have improved so much so that the insects glide right by unscathed; or are there other forces at play? This decrease reflects a larger problem. Studies around the world have revealed declines in insect abundance, diversity, and biomass throughout the past 20+ years1. It should come as no surprise that insects are facing a multitude of anthropogenic threats including habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species (just to name a few). If these anthropogenic influences weren't severe enough on their own, combining them leads to interactions and synergies which have the potential to wreak havoc on insect communities.  Figure 2. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) With these issues in mind, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has begun to fight for invertebrate conservation across the United States. The Xerces Society is a global nonprofit focused on protecting invertebrates and their habitats through science-based research and programs in pollinator conservation, endangered species protection, and pesticide impact reduction. Our seminar speaker Emily May, an Agricultural Conservation Lead with the Xerces Pesticide Program, shared more about the society's motives, progress, and accomplishments. Research is one of the most important aspects of invertebrate conservation, producing essential data on species populations, habitat needs, and threats like habitat loss, climate change, and pesticides. Although uncovering all the information necessary to execute flawless restoration and conservation efforts is impossible, we know more than enough to get started! The Xerces Society partners with academic researchers to close gaps in our knowledge relating to insect life histories, threats, and management needs. Charismatic insect groups such as bumblebees, fireflies, and butterflies continue to be a strong focus of the organization. Still, many other invertebrate groups like beetles, flies, and moths also reap the benefits of conservation work. A specific issue Emily is keen to address is the impact of pesticides on insect communities. Over the past three decades, the toxicity of pesticides has increased dramatically. The use of broad-spectrum pesticides (chemicals that are toxic to a wide range of organisms) has led to non-target mortality and a decline in non-pest insects. In a study conducted by the Xerces Society, one hundred percent of milkweed plants collected from the field and nurseries contained pesticides within their tissues (with an average of 9 different pesticides per plant). These numbers are alarming as milkweed is the host plant for several butterfly species including the beloved Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Continuing research in this area is crucial to understanding pesticide residue patterns throughout natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes Additionally, crowdsourced data is collected through community science programs to fill gaps in institutional research. Community science projects enlist the help of everyday citizens in scientific research, where volunteers or non-professional scientists collect data, make observations, and contribute to studies, often to advance knowledge. Take the Bumblebee Atlas for example, which monitors bumblebee populations by tracking where different bumblebee species are present. This form of data collection gets citizens excited about insects with efforts spread across the globe. This also advances the pace of research as it would be impractical for a single research group to collect all of this vital data.  Figure 3. Bumblebee collecting pollen (Genus: Bombus) Another cornerstone of the Xerces Society's contribution to invertebrate conservation is the synthesis of actionable information for practitioner use. Approximately 40% of Earth’s land is dedicated to agriculture which has resulted in destroyed habitat and resources once available to invertebrate communities. Combined with actionable information, one-on-one consulting helps improve the quality and quantity of refuge habitats within agricultural lands. When planning pollinator habitats, consultants take into account soil properties, plant communities, integrated pest management, and land manager training to make changes best suited for the land. Since 2008, the Xerces Society has helped to protect and restore 3.5 million acres of land. Additionally, tens of thousands of people have benefited from this work. Some examples of past and current projects include converting hayfields into pollinator meadows, installing native hedgerows/fencing shrubs, and the Habitat Kit Program which provides perennial plant seeds to practitioners to implement in smaller areas, primarily focusing on underserved communities and farms.
Implementing both bottom-up efforts focused on citizens and community involvement along with top-down efforts focused on government and institutional involvement are key to the conservation mission of the Xerces Society. Actions like planting habitat, reducing use and reliance on pesticides, providing federal protection to imperiled species, and large-scale investment in conservation can create opportunities to better understand and mitigate the decline of invertebrate abundance, diversity, and biomass throughout the world. Author: Robert Salerno is an M.S. student in the Lamp Lab at the University of Maryland investigating soil quality and subterranean arthropod communities in conventional corn/soybean and progressive perennial forage/livestock cropping systems. References:
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