Numbers ‘scary’: Researchers expect sharp rise in invasive insect species

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In a statement from the University of Lausanne on Tuesday, researchers spoke of a “time bomb” in this context.

The biologists calculated the current “invasion debt” based on the lag time between importing exotic plants and insects. In other words, where host plants have settled at new latitudes, but related insects have not yet been discovered.

In the study, the researchers put this infestation debt at 3,400 insects. This corresponds to a potential increase in alien insects of 35 percent worldwide.

For our latitude, the European Palaearctic, the researchers calculated the infestation debt of 417 insect species. Researchers estimate the greatest crime of invasion in Southeast Asia and India, where discovery of alien species could increase by 20 times.

“These numbers are even more frightening because they only show the amount of occupation debt at a given time: 2010,” study author Cleo Bertelsmeier said in a statement. “They don’t take into account that we still bring in exotic plants today, despite a certain awareness. Therefore, the emergence of insects will likely continue to increase.”

More than 7,000 insect species currently live outside of their original habitat, according to the study. Because of this, some are spreading rapidly and displacing native plant and animal species. The species may therefore become a problem for biodiversity. (SDA)

Source : Blick