Status of insect diversity conservation in Nigeria: A review

Abstract

With a rapid surge in human population, there has been concomitant increase in anthropogenic threats to
biodiversity, especially for ecologically-important groups such as insects. With the loss of about 79% of its forest cover, Nigeria ranked as the nation with the highest rate of forest loss in 2005. How these and other environmental stressors affect insect biodiversity is yet to be fully understood. Nigeria, like most of the countries in the tropics is a treasure trove of insect diversity; however, limited information is available on the taxonomy, ecology, genetics and biogeography of its insect fauna. This dearth of  background scientific knowledge impedes successful insect conservation policy and practice. Even though a National Biodiversity Action and Strategic Plan has been formulated in line with the targets of Convention on Biological Diversity, these clear knowledge gaps have to be recognized and filled for sustainable progress to be made in insect conservation. This review identifies the key challenges to insect diversity conservation in Nigerian ecosystems. The need to provide sufficient baseline information on the taxonomy, species distribution and ecology of Nigerian insects at both eco-regional and national scales is proposed. Well designed and targeted insect diversity surveys as well as citizen science programs are suggested as potential approaches to accumulating necessary baseline data to drive conservation of insects in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the country.

Keywords: Citizen Science, Distribution, Diversity Survey, Management, Taxonomy