Threats to African Arthropods and Their Biodiversity Potentials on Food Security, Environmental Health and Criminal Investigation

Abstract

AbstractArthropods are the most diversified group of animals on every ecosystem. Their presence or absence in a defined ecosystem denote useful information of environmental concern. At a glance, Africa is renowned for her rich flora and fauna biodiversity which attract moderate conservation attention for the ungulates but not for the insects and other arthropod groups that are generally regarded as nuisance, pests and vectors of plant and animal diseases. Arthropods in Africa are envisaged to be under a threat notwithstanding that their biodiversity are yet to be documented. Threats to African arthropods biodiversity are mainly linked to habitat destruction, land-use change, deforestation, intensive mono-agriculture, use of broad-spectrum pesticides, invasive species and industrial pollution among others. Nevertheless, a holistic approach by the developed world showed that arthropods provide enormous benefits to man and his environment. Hence, insects among the arthropod groups provide ecological services (anthophilous) and serve as food for man and potential feed for animals (entomophagy). Ecologically, the species richness and abundance of insects and other related arthropods (soil mites) play crucial roles in cascading the potentials of arthropods biodiversity in food security; biomonitoring of polluted environments orchestrated by anthropogenic activities is anchored on insects and acarines. Interestingly, insects on decomposing vertebrate carcasses do not only act as decomposers and soil enrichment agents but also as forensic tool for estimating the post mortem interval of carcasses. Strategies on organically based pest management in agroecosystem, augmented by cultural practices to conserve the arthropods biodiversity, are sought after. Unpredictably, the potentials of African arthropods in food security, environmental health and medico-criminal science are scarce. This chapter therefore succinctly discusses the reasons for the gaps and suggests mitigation approaches to threats to arthropods biodiversity in Africa and their food security potentials, indicators of environmental health and tool for criminal investigation.KeywordsBiodiversityAfrican arthropodsFarm practiceHabitat fragmentationFood securityEnvironmental healthCriminal investigation