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Mass Extinction of Insects Underway

posted by chromas on Tuesday February 12 2019, @02:20PM   
from the debug-the-planet! dept.

edIII writes:

The first global scientific review of insect population decline was published^[$] this week in the journal Biological Conservation. This is the first global study of its kind, and the term "impending catastrophe" would not be hyperbolic with respect to the findings:

Highlights

• Over 40% of insect species are threatened with extinction.
• Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and dung beetles (Coleoptera) are the taxa most affected.
• Four aquatic taxa are imperiled and have already lost a large proportion of species.
• Habitat loss by conversion to intensive agriculture is the main driver of the declines.
• Agro-chemical pollutants, invasive species and climate change are additional causes.

For some time now we've been warned by scientists that pollinators are having a hard time, creating problems for humanity WRT many food sources. However, this study paints a far more dire picture with the possibility of irreparable harm to ecosystems on a global level. Without strong insect populations, it's not unreasonable to conclude that humanity may not continue either.

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Original Submission

• "It's not us!" "It's not us!" (Score: 2) by ilsa on Tuesday February 12 2019, @02:46PM (2 children)

  by ilsa (6082) on Tuesday February 12 2019, @02:46PM (#800093)

  I am reminded of an argument I had with someone... I can't remember if it was here or slashdot... but their point was that humans couldn't be the cause of a mass extinction event because things haven't died off yet.

  The fact that all the signs of an impending catastrophie are here, wasn't good enough. Well, he sure showed me, didn't he!

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• Re:"It's not us!" Re:"It's not us!" (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 12 2019, @03:22PM (1 child)

  by DannyB (5839) on Tuesday February 12 2019, @03:22PM (#800119) Journal

  See that long trail of gasoline that starts a few feet away over there? Now observe as I light a match and toss it over there.

  There is no way that that fire is going to follow the gasoline all around the room and eventually come to the puddle of gas that I'm standing in and soaked myself in.

  I would not possibly be the cause of my own demise.

  And neither could the human race's greed and selfishness be the cause of its own demise.

  There. Convinced now? Humanity cannot destroy itself, because it has not done so, up to this point. And I'm still standing here and that flame has not yet reached me.

  --
  To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.

  Parent

  • Re:"It's not us!" (Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Tuesday February 12 2019, @03:47PM

    by BsAtHome (889) on Tuesday February 12 2019, @03:47PM (#800127)

    You are doing it wrong! Use more matches to accelerate the process. Humans are notoriously impatient. So, get lightin' yourself, come on!

    Parent