Lift a rock or log anywhere in the country and chances are you'll see beetles from many species scurrying beneath it. These unassuming creatures are often overlooked as more glamorous insects hog the spotlight. But a recent study shows that the populations of an important group of beetles are dwindling, and this could end up being just as problematic as the better-publicised problems of bees and butterflies. The research, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, found that three quarters of the beetle species examined had declined in number over the last 15 years. The abundance of half of these species had fallen at a rate equivalent to 30 per cent per decade. Scientists warn that these declines, comparable to those seen in butterflies and moths over the same period, are of serious conservation concern. The study focused on ground beetles or 'carabids', the surface-dwelling group that most people will picture if asked to imagine a beetle. Many of these species perform valuable tasks in their ecosystems that we'd miss if they disappeared.
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-10-beetle-declines-wider-insect.html#jCp
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