Alien Species and Insect Conservation

More about the book

This overview examines the roles of alien species in insect conservation, highlighting their significant yet often poorly understood impacts as key drivers of species declines, ecological changes, and biotic homogenisation. It addresses both accidental and deliberate species movements, focusing on alien invasive plants and insects that threaten native insects and their habitats. Risk assessments, primarily motivated by concerns about non-target effects of biological control agents, offer valuable insights for conservation biology. These assessments underscore the importance of effective biosecurity, risk avoidance, and management of alien invasive species as crucial elements in insect conservation programs. The proliferation of adaptable ecological generalist invasive species, which are challenging to detect or monitor, is linked to the decline of specialized local insects and the disruption of complex ecological interactions. This creates novel interactions with significant consequences for the affected environments. Understanding the processes of invasion and predicting the impacts of alien species on vulnerable native insects is essential for practical insect conservation efforts.