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Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature'
The Guardian ^ | 2/10/19 | Damian Carrington

Posted on 02/11/2019 1:52:51 AM PST by LibWhacker

The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review.

More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century.

The planet is at the start of a sixth mass extinction in its history, with huge losses already reported in larger animals that are easier to study. But insects are by far the most varied and abundant animals, outweighing humanity by 17 times. They are “essential” for the proper functioning of all ecosystems, the researchers say, as food for other creatures, pollinators and recyclers of nutrients.

Insect population collapses have recently been reported in Germany and Puerto Rico, but the review strongly indicates the crisis is global. The researchers set out their conclusions in unusually forceful terms for a peer-reviewed scientific paper: “The [insect] trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting [on] life forms on our planet.

“Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades,” they write. “The repercussions this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chat; collapse; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; ecosystem; extinction; fakenews; globalwarminghoax; greennewdeal; insect
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To: Da_Shrimp

It’s possible that it’s where there is no agriculture that there are less smashed bugs on the windshield. You’ll find that when you drive through farmlands in the summer your windshield is a mess. And in the spring in the desert butterflies plaster mine. Here I am talking about dead bugs on a window cause some alarmist article is lying about nature. Sheesh.


21 posted on 02/11/2019 3:48:08 AM PST by HighSierra5
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To: LibWhacker

It’s because people found out they “taste like chicken”.

CC


22 posted on 02/11/2019 3:59:20 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: Celtic Conservative

Here in Minnesota I haven’t seen a mosquito in months. So I guess this scientist must be right.


23 posted on 02/11/2019 4:04:15 AM PST by shelterguy
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To: shelterguy

I’m in central eastern Michigan. Give it a minute.

CC


24 posted on 02/11/2019 4:13:00 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: LibWhacker
Another human caused extinct wave!


25 posted on 02/11/2019 4:21:21 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastrophic, Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym explains the science.)
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To: urbanpovertylawcenter

Hah. I’ve already been bitten by noseeums several times this winter.


26 posted on 02/11/2019 4:34:45 AM PST by TheZMan (I am a secessionist.)
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To: TheZMan

*no-see`ems


27 posted on 02/11/2019 4:35:38 AM PST by TheZMan (I am a secessionist.)
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To: LibWhacker

Lies.


28 posted on 02/11/2019 4:42:21 AM PST by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
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To: LibWhacker

the Green New Deal: pestilence, disease, war and death


29 posted on 02/11/2019 4:45:32 AM PST by Redmen4ever (u)
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To: Celtic Conservative

I’m in central eastern Michigan. Give it a minute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I still have a few mosquitoes in the freezer from last year so at least I have meat for the winter.


30 posted on 02/11/2019 4:50:57 AM PST by shelterguy
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To: bagster

Lol! Perfect!


31 posted on 02/11/2019 5:02:04 AM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: LibWhacker
This thread looked weird - no mention of climbutt change, and therefore no Goebbels. So, the question arises... is this thread worthy of any Goebbels? I went to the article, and lo and behold:

1. Urbanisation and climate change are also significant factors...

2. rising temperatures due to climate change are ...

3. ...largely due to climate change. and last, but not least:

4. ...all the things [eradicating insects], including climate change,” he said.

Therefore, this thread gets awarded four (4!) Goebbels.


32 posted on 02/11/2019 5:06:25 AM PST by C210N (Republicans sign check fronts; 'Rats sign check backs.)
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To: LibWhacker

I bet we also have to elect a bunch of leftists to save us too, right?


33 posted on 02/11/2019 5:07:31 AM PST by chris37 (No wall? No vote.)
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To: LibWhacker

If the result is the death of all red fire ants - count me in.


34 posted on 02/11/2019 5:14:53 AM PST by Made In The USA (Next thing you know, 'ol Jed's a millionaire)
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To: LibWhacker

Well, I’ll be damned....... species eliminated.

No proof what so ever. This article is total garbage


35 posted on 02/11/2019 5:20:32 AM PST by bert ( (KE. N.P. N.C. +12) Honduras must be invaded to protect America from invasion)
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To: urbanpovertylawcenter

Ticks are not bugs

Ticks are arachnids


36 posted on 02/11/2019 5:22:17 AM PST by bert ( (KE. N.P. N.C. +12) Honduras must be invaded to protect America from invasion)
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To: ronnie raygun

“first global scientific review”. here lies the problem

* * *

Right you are, Ronnie, and right around the corner are international forums, Al Gores, scientific email scandals, and Mitt Romneys.


37 posted on 02/11/2019 5:23:31 AM PST by poconopundit
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To: Hot Tabasco

Plenty of stinkbugs still!


38 posted on 02/11/2019 5:25:16 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: LibWhacker

This is REAL! Last summer I had mosquitoes all over my property!

Now in February, less than 6 months later, there are NONE!

I could shovel the snow in my underwear and I bet I would not get bitten once.


39 posted on 02/11/2019 5:29:46 AM PST by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
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To: mowowie

Had a similar experience one night on Solomons Island, MD. Walking from the Holiday Inn to one of the restaurants on the water there, fireflies everywhere, landing on me, in the trees, on the road... it was kind of magical.


40 posted on 02/11/2019 5:34:40 AM PST by Afterguard (Deplorable me!)
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