The Present and Future of Insect Biodiversity Conservation in the Neotropics: Policy Gaps and Recommendations

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that insect populations may be declining at local and global scales, threatening the sustainability of the ecosystem services that insects provide. Insect declines are of particular concern in the Neotropics, which holds several of the world’s hotspots of insect endemism and diversity. Conservation policies are one way to prevent and mitigate insect declines, yet these policies are usually biased toward vertebrate species. Here, we outline some key policy instruments for biodiversity conservation in the Neotropics and discuss their potential contribution and shortcomings for insect biodiversity conservation. These include species-specific action policies, protected areas and Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), sectoral policies, biodiversity offsetting, market-based mechanisms, and the international policy instruments that underpin these efforts. We highlight that although these policies can potentially benefit insect biodiversity indirectly, there are avenues in which we could better incorporate the specific needs of insects into policy to mitigate the declines mentioned above. We propose several areas of improvement. Firstly, evaluating the extinction risk of more Neotropical insects to better target at-risk species with species-specific policies and conserve their habitats within area-based interventions. Secondly, alternative pest control methods and enhanced monitoring of insects in a range of land-based production sectors. Thirdly, incorporating measurable and achievable insect conservation targets into international policies and conventions. Finally, we emphasise the important roles of community engagement and enhanced public awareness in achieving these improvements to insect conservation policies.

Conocimiento de las comunidades de escarabajos que habitan el suelo en los Andes tropicales: Lagunas y tendencias

“…En tercer lugar, la seguridad del trabajo de campo es compleja para realizar estudios de biodiversidad en regiones remotas que carecen de control gubernamental y están bajo la ocupación de grupos armados ilegales (Baptiste et al, 2017). Estos factores crean múltiples barreras que impiden el desarrollo de información científica, particularmente en fauna no carismática como los insectos (Duffus et al, 2023). Además, si tenemos en cuenta la inestabilidad política y económica de estos países, podríamos explicar las lagunas de información en los estudios ecológicos y de conservación y en la investigación científica en general.…”

Knowledge of ground‐dwelling beetle communities in the tropical Andes: Gaps and trends

“…Third, fieldwork security is complex for biodiversity studies in remote regions lacking governmental control and under the occupation of illegal armed groups (Baptiste et al, 2017). These factors create multiple barriers that impede the development of scientific information, particularly in non‐charismatic fauna such as insects (Duffus et al, 2023). Furthermore, if we consider these countries' political and economic instability, we could explain information gaps in ecological and conservation studies and all‐over scientific research.…”

Systematic challenges and opportunities in insect monitoring: a Global South perspective

“…Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) consist of institutionalized traditional and local knowledge and practices existing within and developed by indigenous people and communities from specific regions, that have been passed down through generations [15,[83][84][85]. IKS can provide useful tools and solutions to many conservation and societal problems as these people have lived and continue to live in harmony with nature [84].…”

“…Additionally, establishing and maintaining long-term, continuous monitoring programmes can be resource-intensive, demanding sustained funding commitments that are often unable to be met by local budgetary allocations. Lastly, the active involvement of local communities and stakeholders becomes paramount for garnering support for conservation endeavours and ensuring the enduring sustainability of monitoring programmes through conservation policy [ 15 ].…”