Scientists question the ethics of collecting endangered insects for research

Scientists question the ethics of collecting endangered insects for research

“I have a real passion for midges,” Valeria Lencioni said in an interview with GlacierHub. Problematic midges, Lentils, Is a highly endangered insect, she observed in the glacial streams of the Italian Alps, where she conducted research. When she started studying glacial fauna in 1996, little was known about insects that inhabit icy habitats. Lencioni helped the scientific community clearly understand what kind of insects live in the high glaciers of the Italian Alps, and now she is questioning the basic methods in her field.

Insect collection is a routine part of entomological research. In order to collect valuable data on insect biology and genetics, scientists often capture and kill insects before bringing them back to the laboratory and conducting investigations there. This kind of research has provided researchers with many insights into insect biology and ecological conditions, but Lencioni has questions about its necessity when dealing with vulnerable populations.

Many insects living on glaciers were initially small in number. As the earth’s glaciers continue to shrink, many insects are facing extinction. When scientists collected these insects for research, they further reduced these already meagre populations.in a Paper Published on Insect diversity and protection In August 2021, Lencioni, he is Coordinator of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Aquatic Biology Muse Science Museum In Trento, Italy, It is believed that there is sufficient data to significantly reduce the ongoing insect collection.

Lentils Lencioni has come a long way now to study its streams.Presumably, midges are in Pleistocene glaciers, through Central Asia. She explained that this insect is like an indicator species to scientists working in the area. “Finding it reassured us that the environment is still healthy, the degree of glaciation is still high, and the glaciers supplying the river are still large.” she says.

According to Lencioni, people’s view of insect life is different from that of other animal life. “In the general imagination, insects are considered numerous,” Lencioni said. “Even too many. “Perhaps because of this view, the impact of removing insects from their habitats is not fully considered. “Removing animals from the environment will cause imbalances and disturbances, which may have an impact on the ecosystem.“Rencioni said.

The glacial stream habitat in the area where Lencioni is conducting research. Photo courtesy of Valeria Lencioni.

Lencioni believes that now that enough specimens have been collected at these glacier sites, scientists working in the area can continue to collect data in different ways. She suggested that in the future, scientists can use the existing literature on these sites as a reference. Lencioni said: “In the first few years of researching new environments, a high sampling frequency is useful.” “But a few years later, depending on the rate of glacier retreat in the area, returning to the site every 5 or even 10 years is sufficient.”

Using a microscope in the field helps reduce the need to transport specimens back to the laboratory. Photo courtesy of Valeria Lencioni.

Lencioni also advocates the advancement of a technology called environmental DNA, which can test soil, water or air and provide an overview of all traces of DNA left by organisms in the area. She pointed out that environmental DNA technology has been used to monitor terrestrial habitats and fish populations, but has not been widely used to characterize insect populations.

It’s not just glacier insects that are threatened. Globally, the number of insects is declining by about 1% Per year. Lencioni is also worried about other habitats. “Entomologists should consider collecting in any extreme habitats (such as caves and springs) where the local population is declining and highly isolated,” she said.

Not everyone likes insects as much as Lencioni, which can pose challenges for conservation. “Compared with other animals, these ethical issues change in specific ways when insects are involved,” Hugh Raffles said.Insect Encyclopedia“This book tells the story of the interaction between humans and insects in history. “In the beginning, people would not even consider them as animals. ”

If scientists want to continue to understand population dynamics during climate change, insect collection cannot be completely stopped, but Lencioni hopes that researchers can collect insects more carefully. “If it is not absolutely necessary, animals should stay in their environment,” Lencioni said.In places where natural biodiversity is naturally scarce, it becomes even more important. “