Down to Earth Light blue text = a clickable link. To highlight pictures please click themFrom The Guardian I regularly receive Down to Earth, a nature orientated newsletter carrying composite parts. A recent issue, compiled by Patrick Barkham, was titled 'Celebrating the mind blowing diversity of invertebrates.' It began like this: 'We are a tiny minority – barely 5% of all known living creatures are animals that have backbones like us. The rest – well over 1.3 million – are invertebrates. These spineless animals of wondrous diversity and fascinating lifestyles are the reason the rest of us are alive. We owe them everything and yet in most human societies and cultures there seems little recognition of their importance.' WorryThen in an earlier story of diminishing invertebrate numbers, republished in the same Down to Earth, writer Phoebe Weston, reported, that: 'Fruit growers in the UK are already seeing less yield and lower-quality produce because of the loss of insects, and warned that a further loss of pollinators could have “significant” impacts on all crops. Weston went on to say that: 'As part of a parliamentary inquiry into insect decline and UK food security, Prof Simon Potts from the University of Reading told MPs at the science, innovation and technology committee, that there is already good evidence of a shortfall of pollinators and a threat to food production. He said: “That shortfall translates not only into less yield but also lower-quality produce … With poor pollination, you’re getting a shortfall in the production of nutrients, and for the farmers of course that translates into loss of profit.” And in New Zealand?Statements like: 'We owe them everything and yet in most human societies and cultures there seems little recognition of their importance', plus the comments by Professor Potts about Britain, prompted me to enquire about invetebrates in New Zealand and in particular about insects. I found this in on the Landcare Research website. 'New Zealand has a distinctive and diverse land invertebrate fauna, with 22,000 arthropod species described and at least that number again awaiting discovery. Approximately 80% of these species are endemic being found nowhere else in the world. Less than 20% of endemic species have adequate scientific descriptions. Systematic studies on poorly known groups are revealing the presence of many new species, as well as species introduced mainly through the actions of humans.' Diverse and not well knownTe Papa, our national museum, has a blog on invertebrates. Here' a lengthy and quite comprehensive section from it. Invertebrates, it says are: 'a diverse group ranging from spiders and jellyfish to insects and worms. Due to New Zealand’s geographic isolation, many of our species have evolved into unique forms. The majority of New Zealand’s native invertebrates are found nowhere else in the world. Like other groups such as birds in New Zealand, many invertebrates here became large and flightless (e.g. giant wëtä, tusked wëtä and giant weevil). New Zealand’s native invertebrates have been called the ‘forgotten fauna’. Beetles, snails, wëtä and spiders just don’t seem to have the same cuddly appeal as kakapo, kiwi and fur seals. However, invertebrates are essential to our natural environment and to humans because:• They recycle nutrients, break down pollutants and maintain soil structure. • They are an important food source for many native species such as bats, kiwi, robins and fantails. • Many marine invertebrates like crayfish, kina, paua and shellfish are popular parts of our diet. • Many insects are pollinators of native plants. • Invertebrates form part of a complex web of interactions and the loss of a single species can have widespread effects on the rest of the system in which it lives. In the past little attention has been given to invertebrates in New Zealand and the majority of research had been conducted on exotic invertebrates of economic importance. This means we don’t know much about most of our invertebrates – in fact many species are still waiting to be formally identified and named.' Waiting to be formally identified and namedThat's a pity isn't it? So many New Zealand species are not even named? Clearly there is lot still to find out about these animals that are so important to the well being of the biodiversity around us. Here's a little exercise I've sometimes done. Go to a patch of ground say in a garden and mark out a small square, then sit beside it for 20 minutes or so and watch. Count and identfy the invertebrates see. Doing so is a reminder of the biodiversity, usually ignored, which surrounds us. □ John McInnes Friday 23 April 2024 ##########
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