Are insects and other invertebrates in decline in Australia?

Braby, Michael F.

doi:10.1111/aen.12411

Cited by 11 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…2019). The general consensus among conservation biologists and entomologists is that this does not indicate a lack of extinctions, rather that the extinctions are going undetected or are not being documented or listed on conservation schedules (Fonseca 2009; Braby 2019; Sanchez‐Bayo & Wyckhuys 2019). There have been several documented extinctions of Pseudococcidae in recent history with that of P. markharveyi likely to have occurred in the last 12 months.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coextinction of Pseudococcus markharveyi (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): a case study in the modern insect extinction crisis

Moir

2020

Austral Entomology

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The majority of modern insect extinctions are likely unrecorded, despite increasing concern for this hyperdiverse group. This is because they are either yet to be discovered and described, their distributions and host associations are poorly known, or data are too sparse to detect declines in populations. Here, I outline the likely extinction of an Australian mealybug, Pseudococcus markharveyi Gullan 2013, which was discovered and described less than 15 years ago but was highlighted recently as one of five most threatened invertebrates in Australia from recent bushfires. The synergistic threats of dieback disease (Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands, 1922) and inappropriate fire regime as a consequence of climate change, have decimated host plant populations of the critically endangered Banksia montana (George, 1996) (Mast & Thiele 2007) and the montane habitat of both organisms, thereby leading to the coextinction of the mealybug. Its loss occurred despite attempts at conservation management and illustrates the general insect extinction crisis that Australia, and the world, is facing. The majority of Australian mealybugs are not receiving the same attention as P. markharveyi. Many poorly known species either remain undetected, without formal names, or data on their distribution, abundance and critical habitat are too scant to assess their conservation status. I also discuss the diversity of Australian mealybugs more generally and their need for conservation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of invertebrate extinctions are almost certainly unrecorded, despite increasing concern for this hyperdiverse group as a major part of the sixth mass extinction (Dunn 2005; Braby 2019; Sanchez‐Bayo & Wyckhuys 2019; van Klink et al . 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coextinction of Pseudococcus markharveyi (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): a case study in the modern insect extinction crisis

Moir

2020

Austral Entomology

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“…2019; James & James 2019) and not necessarily designed to detect changes in components of biodiversity. Thus, there is an urgent need for rigorous monitoring data from the Southern Hemisphere, to assess trends in insect richness and abundance and to identify the drivers of change (Braby 2019; Thomas et al . 2019; Bell et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New 1984, 1993, 1997; New & Yen 2013; New & Samways 2014; Rix et al . 2017; Sands 2018; Braby 2019), including butterflies from the urban areas of Melbourne (McCubbin 1971; Crosby 1990a; Braby 1991a; Braby et al . 1992; Faithfull 1992; Field 1995; New et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2004; Braby & Williams 2016). In recognition of this general shortfall in historical baseline data in Australia, Braby (2019) recommended that different approaches are required to evaluate the extent of change, particularly decline, among insects and other invertebrates. These qualitative approaches include estimating the extent of change based on: (1) expert opinion (personal records and anecdotal evidence from naturalists/entomologists); (2) historical records (data from museum collections and/or scientific literature); and (3) temporal replication of surveys (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changes in a peri‐urban butterfly assemblage over 80 years near Melbourne, Australia

Braby

Williams²,

Douglas³

et al. 2021

Austral Entomology

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Although changes, particularly declines, in Australian terrestrial insects and other invertebrates have long been suspected and well‐documented for some species, the magnitude, rate and spatial extent of decline remain unclear. Here we use a combination of alternative, qualitative approaches (expert opinion, historical records and temporal replication of surveys) to standardised monitoring and mapping programs to investigate the extent of change of a peri‐urban butterfly assemblage. This assemblage, comprising 52 species, of which 46 are residents or seasonal immigrants, was studied at three spatial scales (local ~0.01 km2, intermediate ~9 km2 and regional ~100 km2) in the Eltham district near Melbourne based on presence/absence data over the past 40 (1981–2020) and 80 years (1941–2020). We then consider the causal factors or drivers that have led to changes, and we explore the timing and ecological patterns underpinning extirpations. Long‐term records reveal substantial changes (mostly decline) in composition and species richness of the 46 breeding species at all spatial scales and time frames analysed. Although the magnitude and rate of decline were higher at the smaller, local to intermediate scales (29–43% decline over 40 years, loss rate of 0.20–0.25 species/year) compared with the larger, regional scale (26% decline over 80 years, loss rate of 0.15 species/year), extirpations at the larger scale were more alarming because they are indicative of widespread population collapse. Declines in relative abundance and occupancy were also recorded at the intermediate and regional spatial scales. Further decline (extinction debt) is anticipated for several ecological specialists currently known from very few sites. Historical extirpations mostly involved obligate myrmecophilous lycaenids and appear to have been largely driven by a combination of urbanisation (habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation) and vegetation encroachment. More recent extirpations consist mainly of grass‐feeding and mistletoe‐feeding specialists and are more worrying because they have predominantly occurred within the past 20–30 years. An interaction of urbanisation (tree canopy death and decline of mistletoes and their host trees from ecosystem dysfunction) and climate change (water stress and heat waves) are considered to be the most likely drivers for these ecological guilds.

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Introduction: The Reality of Insect Declines

New

2022

Fascinating Life Sciences

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Are insects and other invertebrates in decline in Australia?

Cited by 11 publications

References 52 publications

Coextinction of Pseudococcus markharveyi (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): a case study in the modern insect extinction crisis

Coextinction of Pseudococcus markharveyi (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): a case study in the modern insect extinction crisis

Changes in a peri‐urban butterfly assemblage over 80 years near Melbourne, Australia

Introduction: The Reality of Insect Declines

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