Developing and implementing plans to conserve insect biodiversity in agricultural landscapes

Abstract

Insects are abundant and mobile biotic organisms that perform essential functions beneficial to humans. While insects are a vital component to agricultural landscapes, the agricultural systems that require their inputs create stressors to populations through farming practices affecting habitat resources or their health. Farm conservation of wild areas and targeted farm management can promote insect biodiversity, resulting in pollination services to crops that increase yields and improved resources for wildlife, among other benefits. This chapter introduces some contemporary issues related to beneficial insects in agriculture – mostly the insect pollinators and bees – and introduces new concepts linking biodiversity with consumer markets, with an aim to advance insect biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Citizen science and educational opportunities involving cultural and natural histories can complement insect conservation in agricultural landscapes.