article · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
This study investigates insect monitoring in the Global South, identifying significant challenges and proposing strategic solutions. It highlights an imbalance in research contributions between the Global North and South, a scarcity of taxonomic expertise, and socio-economic issues like funding disparities, infrastructure deficits, and information technology obstacles. Environmental factors, including climate change and urbanisation, also critically impact insect diversity in tropical regions. To enhance monitoring capacity, the research proposes community engagement, outreach programmes, cultural activities, language inclusivity, and social media use. It also stresses the need for entomologists to advocate for insects' ecosystem services and suggests increased collaborations with the Global North, particularly in molecular biology and remote sensing, to foster sustainable insect monitoring for biodiversity conservation.
Insect monitoring is essential for assessing biodiversity and informing conservation strategies globally. This research identifies critical systemic challenges in the Global South, where insect diversity is often high but monitoring resources are limited. Addressing these issues is vital for effective biodiversity conservation and maintaining healthy ecosystems worldwide.
The abstract focuses on improving research capacity, collaboration, and advocacy for biodiversity monitoring. It does not indicate specific commercial applications, products, or services, nor does it suggest a direct pathway to market for any technology or methodology.
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Insect monitoring is pivotal for assessing biodiversity and informing conservation strategies. This study delves into the complex realm of insect monitoring in the Global South-world developing and least-developed countries as identified by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-highlighting challenges and proposing strategic solutions. An analysis of publications from 1990 to 2024 reveals an imbalance in research contributions between the Global North and South, highlighting disparities in entomological research and the scarcity of taxonomic expertise in the Global South. We discuss the socio-economic factors that exacerbate the issues, including funding disparities, challenges in collaboration, infrastructure deficits, information technology obstacles and the impact of local currency devaluation. In addition, we emphasize the crucial role of environmental factors in shaping insect diversity, particularly in tropical regions facing multiple challenges including climate change, urbanization, pollution and various anthropogenic activities. We also stress the need for entomologists to advocate for ecosystem services provided by insects in addressing environmental issues. To enhance monitoring capacity, we propose strategies such as community engagement, outreach programmes and cultural activities to instill biodiversity appreciation. Further, language inclusivity and social media use are emphasized for effective communication. More collaborations with Global North counterparts, particularly in areas of molecular biology and remote sensing, are suggested for technological advancements. In conclusion, advocating for these strategies-global collaborations, a diverse entomological community and the integration of transverse disciplines-aims to address challenges and foster inclusive, sustainable insect monitoring in the Global South, contributing significantly to biodiversity conservation and overall ecosystem health. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'.
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DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0102
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