<
https://theconversation.com/could-wildflowers-and-bug-hotels-help-avert-an-insect-apocalypse-we-just-dont-know-yet-206390>
"Insects are in rapid decline. One study found the global total is falling by
2.5% a year, with insect species going extinct eight times faster than mammals,
birds and reptiles.
While scientists don’t yet know when insect populations could drop to the point
of no return, we can’t keep losing species without, ultimately, a catastrophic
outcome.
Many people are concerned about insect biodiversity and trying do something
about it. One way is to give some habitat back to insects. Wildflower meadows,
for example, are being sown in parks and other urban green spaces.
Typically, these are mixtures of mostly non-native species chosen to provide
nectar, pollen, and other resources for insects, as well as visual floral
appeal. They are often deployed for other reasons, like reducing the need for
mowing and its associated costs and carbon footprint.
But before we plant wildflower fields or build “bug hotels”, we need to better
understand how these measures help – and when they don’t. The lack of robust
research means there is still a lot we don’t know. Our team of researchers at
the University of Canterbury is trying to fill some of this knowledge gap."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
