No net insect abundance and diversity declines across US long term ecological research sites

Authors: CROSSLEY, MICHAEL - University Of Georgia; MEIER, AMANDA - University Of Georgia; BALDWIN, EMILY - Hendrix College; BERRY, LAUREN - Hendrix College; CRENSHAW, LEAH - Hendrix College; Hartman, Glen; Lagos-Kutz, Doris; NICHOLS, DAVID - Hendrix College; PATEL, KRISHNA - Hendrix College; VARRIANO, SOFIA - Hendrix College; SNYDER, WILLIAM - University Of Georgia; MORAN, MATTHEW - Hendrix College

Submitted to: Nature Ecology and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/26/2020
Publication Date: 8/10/2020
Citation: Crossley, M.S., Meier, A.R., Baldwin, E.M., Berry, L.L., Crenshaw, L.C., Hartman, G.L., Lagos-Kutz, D.M., Nichols, D.H., Patel, K., Varriano, S., Snyder, W.E., Moran, M.D. 2020. No net insect abundance and diversity declines across US long term ecological research sites. Nature Ecology and Evolution. 4:1368-1376. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1269-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1269-4

Interpretive Summary: Recent reports of dramatic declines in insect abundance suggest grave consequences for global ecosystems and human society. Most evidence comes from Europe, however, leaving uncertainty about insect population decline worldwide. In this study, data from more than 5,300 insects and other arthropods were collected over 4-36 years at monitoring sites representing 68 different natural and managed areas, to search for evidence of declines across the United States. Some taxa and sites showed decreases in abundance and diversity while others increased or were unchanged, yielding net abundance and biodiversity trends generally indistinguishable from zero. These results do not diminish the need for continued monitoring and could mask subtler changes in species composition that nonetheless endanger insect-provided ecosystem services. The information is useful for those interested in ecology, insect monitoring, and population biology.

Technical Abstract: Recent reports of dramatic declines in insect abundance suggest grave consequences for global ecosystems and human society. Most evidence comes from Europe, however, leaving uncertainty about insect population decline worldwide. We used > 5,300 time series for insects and other arthropods, collected over 4-36 years at monitoring sites representing 68 different natural and managed areas, to search for evidence of declines across the United States. Some taxa and sites showed decreases in abundance and diversity while others increased or were unchanged, yielding net abundance and biodiversity trends generally indistinguishable from zero. The apparent robustness of U.S. arthropod populations is reassuring. Yet, this result does not diminish the need for continued monitoring and could mask subtler changes in species composition that nonetheless endanger insect-provided ecosystem services.