Insect Conservation and Urban Environments

ISBN-13: 9783319212234 / Angielski / Twarda / 2015 / 244 str.

Tim R. New

Opis

Includes chapters on assessing changes among assemblages and in individual species, the variety of general threats (notably habitat changes and impacts of alien species) and more particularly urban threats. The first global overview and synthesis of the impacts of urbanisation on insects and their relatives and the needs and theoretical and practical background to conserving them in urban environments.Insect dependence on open spaces in built-up areas suggests a wide range of management options for conservation, from individual site (including novel habitats such as green roofs) to landscape-level connectivity. These measures, all discussed with specific examples, involve all sectors of humanity, from government agencies to individual householders and citizen scientist groups. Each chapter includes pertinent and recent. "

Recenzje

"This very readable book consists of 11 chapters, beginning with consideration of the characteristics of urban areas and how their changing nature modifies ecosystems at a broad level. ... thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in conservation of insects or other biodiversity, whether their focus is urban, agricultural or otherwise. It is an excellent overview of the subject without being over-long or wordy, and provides a realistic assessment of the challenges that we face in urban insect conservation." (Alvin. J. Helden, Journal of Insect Conservation, Vol. 20, 2016)

Spis treści

1.        Urban environments and insect wellbeing
1.1      Introduction: urban environments
1.2      Urban transformations
1.3      Concerns for conservation
1.4      Urban insect conservation
1.5      References
2.        Insects in urban environments
2.1      Introduction: the variety of concerns
2.2      Scales and intensity of change
2.3      Ecological traps
2.4      References
3.        Insects along urban-rural gradients
3.1      Introduction: values of gradient studies
3.2      Interpreting changes
3.3      Focal insect groups for study
3.4      Generality and predictive traits
3.5      Urban successions
3.6      References
4.        Impacts on insect communities and species

4.1      Introduction: characterising urban insect species and communities
4.2      Impacts of change
4.3      Species losses
4.4      Extinction debt
4.5      Species contexts
4.6      Sanitation and resources
4.7      References
5.        Alien species in urban environments
5.1      Introduction: the variety of alien species
5.2      Alien plants
5.3      Alien animals
5.4      References
6.        Urban insect pest management: implications for insect conservation
6.1      Introduction: a key theme in urban entomology

6.2      Concerns over insects
6.3      Control of urban insect ‘pests’
6.4      Expanding perpectives of management
6.5      References
7.        Selected urban threats to insects
7.1      Introduction: conservation implications of some urban developments
7.2      The heat island effect
7.3      Artifical lighting
7.4      Traffic
7.5      bird or bat predation
7.6      References
8.        Countering insect habitat losses and change in urban areas
8.1      Introduction: urban open spaces    
8.2      Reconciliation ecology
8.3      Urban agriculture
8.4      Brownfield sites
8.5      Aquatic ecosystems
8.6      References
9.        Providing habitats for urban insects
9.1      Introduction: indicating the range of possibilities
9.2      Urban parks
9.3      Community gardens
9.4      Urban forests
9.5      Urban meadows
9.6      Domestic gardens
9.7      Lawns
9.8      Golf courses

9.9      Novel habitats: green roofs and green walls
9.10    Periurban fringes
9.11    References
10.      Landscape connectivity for urban insects
10.1    Introduction: countering habitat fragmentation in urban landscapes
10.2    Corridors and nodes
10.3    Translocations
10.4    References

11.      Education and cultural awareness for the future
11.1    Introduction: establishing perspective and defining needs
11.2    Citizen science for urban insects
11.3    Prospects
11.3    References

Blurb

This overview of the impacts of urbanisation on insect life and of the principles and practice of insect conservation in urban environments brings together examples and urban contexts from many parts of the world, to demonstrate the wide variety of urban threats and possible remedial measures to conserve insects in spaces such as urban parks and home gardens.  Discussion of changes in well studied focal insect groups such as ants and ground beetles along urban-rural gradients, of pest management in urban environments and of the great variety of resources available amongst open ‘green spaces’ and waterbodies facilitate understanding of conservation needs. They show the possibilities for management to protect or restore individual species, entire assemblages and communities, and ecological functions, with that management extending from individual sites to landscape levels to promote connectivity and reduce site isolation by urban developments. ‘Novel habitats’, such as green roofs, are important contributors to this perspective. Participation by all levels of urban humanity, from government agencies to community groups and individuals (as citizen scientists) is needed, and the importance of promoting interests in insects and conservation amongst young people is emphasized.