Non-native ants — introduced to new areas of the globe because of human activity — are disrupting biodiversity and biogeographical patterns that have evolved over millions of years, according to new research.
What happened?
Scientists looked at the distribution patterns and impacts of 309 non-native ant species and found that they are breaking down biogeographic boundaries, SciTechDaily reported.
Meanwhile, these invaders also have a profound effect on the biodiversity of more than 13,000 other ant species — the scientists found that more than half of ant assemblages have become more similar, in what they called a "global trend of biotic homogenization." The effects of homogenization are most apparent on islands and in the tropics.
"It's deeply disconcerting to acknowledge that within a mere 200 years of human influence, we've managed to completely overhaul patterns shaped by 120 million years of ant evolution," Cleo Bertelsmeier, one of the study's authors, told SciTechDaily.
Why is this research concerning?
Biotic homogenization, or the trend of spatially separated species becoming more similar over time, erodes global biodiversity. Maintaining biodiversity is important, as the plants and animals in a given ecosystem help keep it running. In turn, those ecosystems provide benefits like fresh water, clean air, food, and medicine.
Biodiversity can also be a tool to help us fight a warming world. One study found that nature can help provide more than 30% of the pollution reduction needed by 2030 to avert a climate catastrophe.
Unfortunately, we are in a biodiversity crisis, as around 1 million plants, animals, and other living things are facing the threat of extinction.
What is being done to preserve biodiversity?
The United Nations Environment Programme is working to solve our nature crisis through a framework that looks at invasive alien species as well as other drivers of biodiversity loss.
Other scientists across the globe are doing hard work to conserve species as well. For instance, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is storing the genetic material of some of the nation's most at-risk wildlife. They hope to use the samples for conservation efforts like breeding programs in the future.
The island nation of Dominica has established the world's first sperm whale reserve to protect this species, which has been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
You can make an impact even from your backyard by planting native species, which will support local pollinators and other wildlife.
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