Peter McCann, joint first author of the study, concluded: 'We need to acknowledge how important insects are for the environment as a whole, and for human health and wellbeing, in order to address the threats we pose to them before many species are lost forever.' Their analysis revealed that insect numbers were 49 per cent lower in areas with high-intensity agriculture and substantial climate warming than in the animals' natural habitats. The team analysed 756,879 records for 17,889 insect species, as well as the climate warming and changes in agriculture in the areas where they were found. 'Our findings may only represent the tip of the iceberg as there is limited evidence in some areas, particularly in the tropics which we found have quite high reductions in insect biodiversity in the most impacted areas.' 'Our findings highlight the urgency of actions to preserve natural habitats, slow the expansion of high-intensity agriculture, and cut emissions to mitigate climate change. 'Many insects appear to be very vulnerable to human pressures, which is concerning as climate change worsens and agricultural areas continue to expand,' Dr Outhwaite said. In the study, the team set out to assess the interaction between rising temperatures and land use, and insect groups across the globe.
