Intro and Importance of Insect

Question 1

Why are insects of such vast ecological importance?**

Answer 1

Ecosystem Functions:Decomposers, Pollenators

• Drivers of the food web (stream insects for fish, aerial insects for spiders and bats which are entirely dependent on insects.)
• Ecosystem engineers and keystone species.
• Importance in predator prey interactions (Food for higher trophic levels).
• Insects provide valuable products. (Honey bees, Silkworm etc) and are sources of novel chemical compounds.

Question 2

What are ecosystem engineers vs keystone species?

Answer 2

Ecosystem engineers: Their natural processes form habitat for other animals and insects (ants and wasps).

Keystone species: Parasitoid wasps as insect population regulators.

Question 3

Explain why some insects are referred to as Pests?

What BC crops are at risk of pests?

Answer 3

Insects can devastate agricultural crops, orchards and garden plants.

Forest Pests (MPB). Largest economic impact on economy and deforestation.

Vectors for plant pathogens (Green peach aphid, bark beetles)

Vector for human and veterinary disease. (Mosquitos: Malaria, Yellow fever, Canine heart worm, West Nile) Causative agents of disease. (Botflies that kill, Lice that cause mange).

Crops: Peaches, Cranberry, Conifer and Deciduous trees.

Question 4

How do insects transmit disease?

Answer 4

Plant: suck and feed on sap

Animal: Blood suck

Question 5

How can you determine friend vs foe with insects?

Answer 5

Feeding habits.

Question 6

What are some insects that provide specific services to humans?

Answer 6

Bees as agricultural pollinators (bumble bees and tomatoes)

Larval stream insects as pollution indicators. (Stone flies and caddisflies.)

Parasitoid wasps and predatory beetles as biological control agents. (Ladybird beetle vs aphids.)

Insects as food for humans

Valuable research systems in biology (fruit flies and genetics, co-evolution and mutualism in plant pollinator relations.)

Question 7

How are insects used in CSI?

Answer 7

Use of insects in establishing cause and time of death.

Question 8

Why are insects ecologically important?

Answer 8

Phenominal ecological and evolutionary success equates to…

• Greatest overall species diversity (but seldomely seen)
• Occur in overwhelming abundances and biomass (Extremely important to all levels of the food chain).
• Vast ecological importance*, playing vital roles in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

Question 9

Which insect is know to have an umbrella effect due to habitat conservation.

Answer 9

Monarch butterfly requires a huge range and specific breeding conditions only found in certain places.