Seasonal insect migrations: massive, influential, and overlooked

During seasonal changes around the globe, trillions of insects are on the move. Many insect populations, including butterflies, moths, hoverflies, and dragonflies, make repeated seasonal migrations each year. It is only during the past century that biologists have come to accept the concept of insec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in ecology and the environment 2020-08, Vol.18 (6), p.335-344
Main Authors: Satterfield, Dara A, Sillett, T Scott, Chapman, Jason W, Altizer, Sonia, Marra, Peter P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Butterflies & moths
Ecological effects
Ecological function
Environmental changes
Food chains
Food webs
Infectious diseases
Insect migration
Insects
Isotopes
Nutrient transport
Pest control
Pollination
Populations
REVIEWS
Seasonal variations
Stable isotopes
Wildlife conservation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:During seasonal changes around the globe, trillions of insects are on the move. Many insect populations, including butterflies, moths, hoverflies, and dragonflies, make repeated seasonal migrations each year. It is only during the past century that biologists have come to accept the concept of insect migration, and new research using radar, citizen science, and stable isotopes has revealed unexpected insights about this phenomenon. Drawing on these findings, we demonstrate how seasonal insect movements are both massive and ecologically influential, with consequences for food webs, nutrient transport, pollination, and infectious disease. Responding to environmental changes, some mobile insect populations are declining or shifting the timing and extent of their journeys. We suggest research and policy priorities for investigating and protecting insect migrations. Outcomes from such work could transform strategies for agricultural pest control and wildlife conservation, and could help preserve the ecological functions performed by migratory insects.
ISSN:1540-9295
1540-9309
DOI:10.1002/fee.2217