Many people feel afraid or disgusted when they see spiders, scorpions, or harvestmen. However, these arachnids (蛛形纲动物), together with insects, play a vital role in keeping our ecosystems healthy. As global biodiversity declines and some scientists warn of an “insect apocalypse”, two ecologists decided to study how these often-ignored animals are doing. Their research, recently published in a scientific journal, found huge gaps in our knowledge.
“Insects and arachnids are basic to human society,” says Laura Figueroa, the study’s senior author. “They pollinate plants, control pests and help monitor air and water quality. While animals like lions and pandas receive international conservation attention, insects and arachnids are largely overlooked. We wanted to know how they were truly doing.”
Figueroa and her graduate student Wes Walsh examined the conservation status of all 99,312 known insect and arachnid species in North America. The results were alarming: nearly 90% (88.5% to be exact) have no conservation status. “We simply don’t know how they are doing,” says Figueroa. Most of the available data focuses on water insects that help check water quality, or on colorful groups such as butterflies and dragonflies. “Arachnids are especially ignored; most U.S. states protect zero spider species,” Walsh adds. The researchers also found that states depending heavily on mining and oil protect fewer species, while environmentally-minded states protect more.
To improve protection, Figueroa points to bird conservation as a model. “The best results happen when diverse groups — hunters, bird watchers, nonprofits — work together,” she says. “If we can form similar broad partnerships for insects and arachnids, they too can receive the protection they need.”
Walsh stresses that these creatures are more than objects of fear. “We need to appreciate their ecological importance, collect more data and consider them worthy of conservation.” Protecting these tiny but vital animals is an essential step toward a healthier planet.
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