The conservation status of South American freshwater insects in the literature

The majority of conservation research and efforts are directed towards vertebrates, and research on aquatic invertebrates is especially underdeveloped.  By looking at the articles published in three important conservation journals from 1995 to 2008, it was possible to see exactly how little had been published on the topic of freshwater insects. Research done in all parts of the world had low percentages for this topic, but South America was the lowest with only .1% of the papers focusing on aquatic insect conservation. This seems problematic as freshwater ecosystems are considered some of the most endangered, and many aquatic insects are highly sensitive to changes in water quality. In the South American papers, there was an increase in papers dealing with the orders Ephemeroptera(mayflies), Trichoptera(stoneflies), and Odonata(dragonflies) over the years studied, so there does at least appear to be an increase in interest. In Chile, about 40% of taxonomists study vertebrates (1,700 species) while only 21% study insects (12,000 species). Part of this disparity could be linked to the overall “charisma” certain species have over others, as mammals and birds are usually seen as more important to conserve than insects, and among insects large butterflies and dragonflies are seen as more important to conserve than small gnats. This can be unfortunate as there are probably far more endangered insects than are recognized simply because no one has taken the time to study them.

This paper deals directly with why my project could be important for the region. I’ll be looking at extremely small flies that, while impressive under a microscope, probably fail to inspire much interest at first glance due to their size. The samples I’ll be looking at were taken from an extremely good-quality watershed. If the condition of the watershed changes in the future, it will be important to have a reference for what should be there.

Contador, Tamara . The conservation status of South American freshwater insects in the literature. Unpublished literature review.