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Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara Editors

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Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara Editors Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara Editors Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics Editors Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara (retired) Division of Entomology and Nematology Department of Entomology Indian Institute of Horticultural Research University of Agricultural Sciences (IIHR) Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Bengaluru , Karnataka , India ISBN 978-981-10-1517-5 ISBN 978-981-10-1518-2 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1518-2 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016955290 © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Science+Business Media Singapore Pte Ltd. F o r e w o r d The earth system is currently stressed severely due to human interventions. The eco- logical footprint of humanity has exceeded 1.6 times the biocapacity of biosphere. So much so that by 2050, twice as much food as today will be required to feed the world population. The future of mankind will be profoundly infl uenced by the way biologi- cal and natural resources are sustained, regulated and managed. This is because bio- diversity is the foundation for sustainability and signifi cantly contributes to quality of life of people and makes positive impact on the structure and functioning of the ecosystems. Arthropods constitute over 90 % of the animal kingdom. Bioecology of arthropods is intimately linked with global functioning and survival. However, docu- mented literature and understanding on insects far exceed other classes of arthropods necessitating inputs on other classes of arthropods. This book titled Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics brings together contribu- tions of workers on arthropods. This compilation is an initiative at capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology and conservation. This edited compilation includes 26 chapters contributed by over 70 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of insect taxa. More importantly, the mechanism of sustaining the ecosystems of arthropods, their services and populations is also given in suffi cient details. The use of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation, are included. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods with a holistic view before conservation issues at large are addressed. This is an important book for zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy mak- ers, teachers and students interested in the conservation and management of biologi- cal resources. Goa University Madhav Gadgil Taleigão India Centre for Ecological Sciences Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, India (previously) December 2015 v Pref ace The trend in biological studies these days is towards biological diversity and conser- vation. Generally, many focus on vertebrates and fl owering plants, although arthro- pods constitute more than 80 % of the total biota on planet Earth. Arthropods provide a multitude of ecosystem services and these are crucial for human suste- nance and welfare. The concern of entomologists and other arthropod workers is to ensure sustenance of undisturbed populations, free from human interferences, by providing and maintaining safer and quality habitats for arthropods. In view of the importance and lack of published information on arthropod diversity and conserva- tion, the current book, Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics , was planned. This book highlights concerns of not only entomologists but also other biologists studying arthropods to emphasize the importance of biological conservation of dif- ferent communities of arthropods across the globe. Life forms dealt in this book cover arthropods as a community because despite such an important and vital group of animals, documented information on them with the exception of insects is scanty. These include scorpions, shrimps, prawns, crabs, ticks, mites, spiders, centipedes and millipedes that are unique in forms and distribution playing diversifi ed roles in multiple biotopes. The crux of the problem for the conservation of arthropods is that the common public do not distinguish them as separate entities, recognize them as an independent group and appreciate their roles. So a comprehensive understanding on the roles of all the arthropod entities should be developed than insects alone. Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, pro- vide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities and are indicators of environ- mental change. Yet the population trend of several arthropod species is showing a decline. Arthropods evolved about 350 million years ago and constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species infl uencing earth’s biodiversity of animals, with insects predominant having about one million species. They are intimately associ- ated with living and nonliving entities, and hence, ecosystem services offered by them are crucial. Arthropod conservation requires integrating conservation science and policy, with long-term planning and action plans. An attempt has been made here to indicate the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in ecosystems and certain problematic species be managed without creating environ- mental side effects and economic burden. The plan for the conservation of arthro- pods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key vii viii Preface habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation. This book is a step forward in monitoring and encouraging people for their con- tinued support in saving planet’s earth-limited biological resources and their poten- tial habitats and increasing awareness in generating appropriate technologies for their management. Implementing nature-friendly technologies to mitigate adverse impacts on arthropod populations is the major concern aimed to be reinforced in the minds of the public and its reinforcement amongst researchers in biological sci- ences. We hope that this book will serve as an additional step in this direction. Bengaluru, India Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy 2015 Shakunthala Sridhara Prel ude Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics Knowledge available on arthropods in the tropics and subtropics does not do justice to their diversity and abundance. Detailed knowledge on arthropod diversity is required to develop integrated pest management and conservation strategies. Studies on arthropods from undisturbed and wild habitat patches are equally important in these tasks. However, it is not possible to collate information on all arthropod taxa, but it is possible to extrapolate from documented information to arrive at decisions on management/conservation issues, be it cropping systems or wild, urban or peri- urban habitats. The book, Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics , deals with select taxa of arthropods, their diversity, distribution, inventory and con- servation issues. Currently, arthropod community is impacted by global warming which forms one of the most important factors infl uencing arthropods across land- scapes as it does the biodiversity across the globe. Secondly, arthropods can serve as indicators of climate change. Two chapters in the book document data on this aspect. Prasannakumar and Kumar deal with salient features of arthropods affected by climate change. Arthropod-based molecules may hold promise for the new emerging disease and maladies. With this hope, Anudita, Varunrajan and Deepa have gained insights into the peculiar and interesting biomolecules from arthropods that have practical implications in biological control of pests and health care. The workers have emphasized the need to conserve arthropods. It will be interesting to know how ecologically important are the parasites on the arthropods. Jayashankar and his team have highlighted the role of arthropod parasites in regulating arthropod populations. Scorpions are venomous creatures, and their looks are frightening.
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