The next 50 years will be especially challenging for invertebrate conservation. The twin issues of biodiversity loss and climate change are leading to a mass extinction that is unprecedented in our time. Insect populations are declining at an alarmingrate and although a wide variety of animals are in decline, insects and other invertebrates have the added challenges of being hyper-diverse - around one million known species - and understudied compared to other groups. Despite the great diversity of ecologies and life histories represented by insects from different regions and habitats, the most influential factors in decline are habitat loss and degradation, pesticides and climate change, although factors including disease, invasive species and light pollution also contribute to the losses. Insect decline is not an insurmountable issue. We have the knowledge and tools to conserve biodiversity. What we need is a societal will to succeed.
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