Insect Conservation and Urban Environments (eBook)

Preface 6
References 9
Acknowledgements 10
Contents 12
Chapter 1: Urban Environments and Insect Wellbeing 15
1.1 Introduction: Urban Environments 15
1.2 Urban Transformations 18
1.3 Concerns for Conservation 23
1.4 Urban Insect Conservation 30
References 31
Chapter 2: Insects in Urban Environments 34
2.1 Introduction: The Variety of Concerns 34
2.2 Scales and Intensity of Change 38
2.3 Ecological Traps 42
References 44
Chapter 3: Insects Along Urban-Rural Gradients 45
3.1 Introduction: Values of Gradient Studies 45
3.2 Interpreting Changes 49
3.3 Focal Insect Groups for Study 51
3.3.1 Carabid Beetles 51
3.3.2 Other Beetles 54
3.3.3 Plants and Pollinators 56
3.3.4 Lepidoptera 58
3.3.5 Hymenoptera 62
3.4 Generality and Predictive Traits 69
3.5 Urban Successions 71
References 73
Chapter 4: Impacts on Insect Communities and Species 77
4.1 Introduction: Characterising Urban Insect Communities and Species 77
4.2 Impacts of Change 79
4.3 Species Losses 82
4.4 Extinction Debt 88
4.5 Species Contexts 91
4.6 Sanitation and Resources 95
References 96
Chapter 5: Alien Species in Urban Environments 99
5.1 Introduction: The Variety of Alien Species 99
5.2 Alien Plants 100
5.3 Alien Insects 107
References 111
Chapter 6: Urban Insect Pest Management: Implications for Insect Conservation 114
6.1 Introduction: A Key Theme in Urban Entomology 114
6.2 Concerns Over Insects 115
6.3 Control of Urban Insect ‘Pests’ 117
6.4 Expanding Perspective of Management 124
References 128
Chapter 7: Selected Urban Threats to Insects 131
7.1 Introduction: Conservation Implications of Some Urban Developments 131
7.2 The Heat Island Effect 131
7.3 Artificial Lighting 134
7.4 Traffic 135
7.5 Bird or Bat Predation 139
References 139
Chapter 8: Countering Insect Habitat Losses and Change in Urban Areas 142
8.1 Introduction: Urban Open Spaces 142
8.2 Reconciliation Ecology 150
8.3 Urban Agriculture 152
8.4 Brownfield Sites 154
8.5 Aquatic Ecosystems 157
8.5.1 Ponds 160
8.5.2 Storm Water Management 162
References 168
Chapter 9: Providing Habitats for Urban Insects 171
9.1 Introduction: Indicating the Range of Possibilities 171
9.2 Urban Parks 176
9.3 Community Gardens 181
9.4 Urban Forests 182
9.5 Urban Meadows 187
9.6 Domestic Gardens 187
9.7 Lawns 190
9.8 Golf Courses 192
9.9 Novel Habitats: Green Roofs and Green Walls 194
9.10 Periurban Fringes 200
References 206
Chapter 10: Landscape Connectivity for Urban Insects 211
10.1 Introduction: Countering Habitat Fragmentation in Urban Landscapes 211
10.2 Corridors and Nodes 213
10.3 Translocations 218
References 220
Chapter 11: Awareness and Priorities for the Future 221
11.1 Introduction: Establishing Perspective and Defining Needs 221
11.2 Citizen Science for Urban Insects 236
11.3 Prospects 241
References 244
Index 247