With about 84% of known animal species, the phylum Arthropoda is the largest in the animal kingdom. It includes the most diverse animal order, Coleoptera (beetles, more than 400,000 species), as well as incredible diversity throughout the subphyla of Chelicerata (arachnids), Myriapoda (centipedes and millipedes), Crustacea (crabs, shrimps) and Hexapoda (insects). Characterized by segmented bodies, chitin exoskeletons, and jointed appendages, arthropods are found on every continent and in every ocean, where they play vital roles as pollinators, herbivores, decomposers, and prey for other animals.
Many arthropod species undergo metamorphosis (egg, larvae, pupa, adult). The dramatic differences between these life stages allow them to occupy many different habitats, niches, and functional roles. As a result, declines in arthropod numbers and diversity can have a significant impact on multiple niches, interactions, and food webs. Insects pollinate 75% of the types of crops grown, providing billions of dollars in services each year. Alarmingly, terrestrial arthropods are currently undergoing an “insect apocalypse”; over the past few decades, they have experienced huge declines. Some of the major contributing factors include habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. Therefore, understanding arthropod life history and ecological functions and preserving their biodiversity are critical.
To properly assess arthropod health, it is necessary to establish baselines for these communities across different ecosystems. Important questions to explore include:
- Arthropod diversity and abundance?
- Functional roles as pollinators, decomposers, or prey for other animals?
- Habitat quality and threats?
- Longer-term trends?
To comprehensively understand the health of NROC’s arthropod communities, it is essential to conduct systematic surveys, collect data over extended periods, and analyze the data in the context of broader ecological factors and environmental changes. Long-term, arthropod-specific monitoring programs would involve regular surveys using established protocols; information gleaned from these surveys could be used to inform regional conservation efforts and ecosystem management strategies.
