Ecosystem services provided by insects for achieving sustainable development goals

Dangles, Olivier; Casas, Jérôme

doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.12.002

Cited by 122 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The definition and classification of ESs remains the subject of ongoing discussion and research (Díaz et al ., 2018; Peterson et al ., 2018). Recently, research on the ESs provided by insects was integrated in an attempt to identify solutions for sustainable development goals (Prather & Laws, 2018; Dangles & Casas, 2019). We include the classification systems established by both the Millennium Assessment and IPBES in Table 1, but use only the former in our discussion below.…”

Section: Overview and Value Of Ecosystem Services Provided By Social mentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

et al. 2020

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Social insects, i.e. ants, bees, wasps and termites, are key components of ecological communities, and are important ecosystem services (ESs) providers. Here, we review the literature in order to (i) analyse the particular traits of social insects that make them good suppliers of ESs; (ii) compile and assess management strategies that improve the services provided by social insects; and (iii) detect gaps in our knowledge about the services that social insects provide. Social insects provide at least 10 ESs; however, many of them are poorly understood or valued. Relevant traits of social insects include high biomass and numerical abundance, a diversity of mutualistic associations, the ability to build important biogenic structures, versatile production of chemical defences, the simultaneous delivery of several ESs, the presence of castes and division of labour, efficient communication and cooperation, the capacity to store food, and a long lifespan. All these characteristics enhance social insects as ES providers, highlighting their potential, constancy and efficiency as suppliers of these services. In turn, many of these traits make social insects stress tolerant and easy to manage, so increasing the ESs they provide. We emphasise the need for a conservation approach to the management of the services, as well as the potential use of social insects to help restore habitats degraded by human activities. In addition, we stress the need to evaluate both services and disservices in an integrated way, because some species of social insects are among the most problematic invasive species and native pests. Finally, we propose two areas of research that will lead to a greater and more efficient use of social insects as ES providers, and to a greater appreciation of them by producers and decision‐makers.

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Section: Overview and Value Of Ecosystem Services Provided By Social mentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

et al. 2020

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“…The attribution of pollination providing only local benefit (ten Brink et al ; de Groot et al ) might be wrong. Also, pollinators contribute to more sustainable development goals (SDGs) than to SDG 2 and 15 only (Dangles & Casas ); they contribute highly also to SDGs 1, 3, 6, 8, 13, and 16.…”

Section: Potential Impact Of Loss Of 87% Of Flowering Plants Due To Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do we realize the full impact of pollinator loss on other ecosystem services and the challenges for any restoration in terrestrial areas?

Christmann¹

2019

Restoration Ecology

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Pollinators are key agents for ecosystems and humankind concerning biodiversity, agriculture, climate change adaptation, and all other ecosystem services. Particularly in industrialized countries pollinator diversity is in decline. The bulk of research is on entomological or plant-pollinator network related topics, but the broad range of impacts of pollinator loss on coupled human and natural systems is not yet studied. As 87% of all flowering plants depend on pollinators, they are basic for all ecosystem services to some extent. Therefore, pollinator loss might cause simultaneous degradation of ecosystem services inducing counterproductive human responses and interlinked poverty spirals. The interaction of climate change, a main risk factor for pollinators, and unadvised human responses to pollinator decline are rarely studied. Tipping points of pollinator loss are not yet identified. Can counterproductive human responses to pollinator deficiency upscale pollinator decline toward a pollinator-loss syndrome in the course of climate change? The article argues for research on the impacts of pollinator loss on other ecosystem services, useful and counterproductive human strategies on pollinator-loss induced degradation, and the integration of pollinator protection into all terrestrial restoration efforts.

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“…The functions and direct impacts of termites' growth are more important in organic material decomposition (Jouquet et al 2014;Dangles and Casas 2019). Thus, to evaluate integrated changes in carbon sequestration and soil fertility, termites should be used combined with microorganisms.…”

Section: Predicted Nitrogen Stockmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of termites growth on litter decomposition: a modeling approach

Issoufou

Soumana

Garba

et al. 2019

Int J Recycl Org Waste Agricult

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Purpose Litter decomposition is a biological process resulting from enzymatic activities of microorganisms and influenced in a variety of ways by activities of termites in semi-arid regions. We presented a general model of the decomposition process from litter to carbon sequestration and nitrogen. We aimed at building a termite population growth model which could deal with one substrate. Methods Our model divides the decomposition/growth process at the population level. We put these changes into equations using an analogy with chemical reactions at equilibrium. Results Our findings provide evidence that activities of termites can promote the significant activity of microbial decomposers and increase degradation rates of soil organic matter (SOM). Also, termite activity was probably an additional contributor to the difference between fungus-comb chamber and soil environment, in which the fungus-comb compartment was positively related to carbon and nutrients release. According to the developed, observed differences in decomposition rate, changes were strongly affected by the termite communities' activities in the two types of compartment. Conclusion This functional distinction highlights the importance of termites' activities on microbial activities stimulation through their development featuring their impacts on soil nutrient cycling.

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Ecosystem services provided by insects for achieving sustainable development goals

Cited by 122 publications

References 20 publications

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

Do we realize the full impact of pollinator loss on other ecosystem services and the challenges for any restoration in terrestrial areas?

Effects of termites growth on litter decomposition: a modeling approach

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