Abstract
To study insect decline, an important threat to biodiversity, long-term datasets are needed. Here we present a study of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) abundance and diversity in a Dutch forest, surrounded by other forests, and analyse the variation in insect numbers over four decades.
Between 1982 and 2021, abundance decreased by 80%. Until 1990, abundance showed a strong decrease of 10.9% per year, mainly in nationally rare species with carnivorous larvae exposed to air. From 1990, abundance stabilised, whereas from 2000, a second period of strong decline of 9.0% per year occurred, mainly in very common species.
Species richness also declined strongly between 1979 and 2021: the total number of species observed in five monitoring days dropped by 44% over those 43 years. The characteristic set of dry-forest hoverfly species disappeared over four decades.
The number of nationally rare species observed at the study site declined from 19 to 9 early on, in a period (1979–1984) that coincided with intense nitrogen input and acidification caused by agriculture in the same region. The more recent decline is likely also caused by factors from outside the forest, as forest management and conditions remained constant.
Continued influx of nutrients and pesticides at a regional level, as well as climate change are possible causes of the decline. Research is needed to quantify their relative effects.
Between 1982 and 2021, abundance decreased by 80%. Until 1990, abundance showed a strong decrease of 10.9% per year, mainly in nationally rare species with carnivorous larvae exposed to air. From 1990, abundance stabilised, whereas from 2000, a second period of strong decline of 9.0% per year occurred, mainly in very common species.
Species richness also declined strongly between 1979 and 2021: the total number of species observed in five monitoring days dropped by 44% over those 43 years. The characteristic set of dry-forest hoverfly species disappeared over four decades.
The number of nationally rare species observed at the study site declined from 19 to 9 early on, in a period (1979–1984) that coincided with intense nitrogen input and acidification caused by agriculture in the same region. The more recent decline is likely also caused by factors from outside the forest, as forest management and conditions remained constant.
Continued influx of nutrients and pesticides at a regional level, as well as climate change are possible causes of the decline. Research is needed to quantify their relative effects.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 510-521 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Insect Conservation and Diversity |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | Apr 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors are grateful to the owners of ‘Klein Boeschoten’ and the State Forestry for admittance to the forest. Caspar Hallmann provided useful feedback on an earlier version of the manuscript. The authors thank Menno Reemer and Bert Oving for allowing us to use their photos in the infographic. Two reviewers assisted with improving the manuscript. Eelke Jongejans acknowledges funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO grants 824.15.010 and NWA.1331.19.005).
Funding Information:
The authors are grateful to the owners of ‘Klein Boeschoten’ and the State Forestry for admittance to the forest. Caspar Hallmann provided useful feedback on an earlier version of the manuscript. The authors thank Menno Reemer and Bert Oving for allowing us to use their photos in the infographic. Two reviewers assisted with improving the manuscript. Eelke Jongejans acknowledges funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO grants 824.15.010 and NWA.1331.19.005).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Insect Conservation and Diversity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.
Keywords
- Syrphidae
- decreased diversity
- defaunation
- forest
- insect decline
