Beetle Decline Increases Concern for Insect Ecosystems A recent
study shows that the populations of beetles are dwindling, and
this could end up being just as problematic as the problems of
bees and butterflies. The research, published in the Journal of
Applied Ecology, found that 3/4 of the beetle species examined
had declined in number over the last 15 years. The abundance of
half of these species had fallen at a rate equivalent to 30% per
decade. Scientists warn that these declines, comparable to those
seen in butterflies and moths over the same period, are of
serious conservation concern. The study focused on ground
beetles or 'carabids'. Many of these species perform valuable
tasks in their ecosystems that we'd miss if they disappeared.
More work is needed to link the declines in different areas to
environmental conditions to unravel exactly what's behind them.
Yet, climate change and alterations to habitats that make the
conditions within them less favorable to beetles are probably
among the main culpri