Biodiversity

Mapping the insect population in the region of Nuvilly / Combremont-le-Grand, in the canton of Freiburg

In the last few years several studies have reported that there has been an alarming decline in the number of insects. There has been very little information available from Switzerland on long-term changes in insect populations. In this project, Agroscope aims to revisit sample sites for insects and spiders in agricultural ecosystems that were already sampled around the turn of the millennium. The aim is to analyse how insect populations in agricultural ecosystems have changed over the last 25 years and what possible reasons there could be for the changes that have been observed.

Case study regions are being studied in depth, such as the region around Nuvilly / Combremont-le-Grand in the western Mittelland. In collaboration with new investigations that are being carried out by other institutions (FiBL, WSL, Sempach Bird Observatory, info fauna) the results will allow conclusions to be drawn on the state of insect diversity in Switzerland. This will enable targeted recommendations to be made for the preservation of a diverse insect fauna.