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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #83580
Title: HYMENOPTERA BIODIVERSITY: SOME ALLIEN NOTIONS

Author
item Grissell, Edward

Submitted to: American Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/19/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Biological diversity is a critical element in the stability of natural and agricultural ecosystems, and it is a subject of paramount importance for the future of humankind. This paper highlights contemporary points of view about biodiversity and explains the importance of one group of insects in the context of public perception of insects in general. The role of bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies (i.e., Hymenoptera) in maintaining the natural balance of diversity within nature in essentially unknown to the general public. This paper stresses the need for public awareness of the essential role of Hymenoptera in the daily lives, and that scientists must be willing to educate the public if we expect them to care about conserving and maintaining the biodiversity of the planet upon which all of us depend. This information will be useful to students, educators, and scientists working on biodiversity.

Technical Abstract: In this paper I first illustrate some notions about biodiversity that might seem alien to most of us, and I briefly explore the notion that biodiversity is not a universally accepted paradigm within the scientific community (or in some cases what passes as the scientific community). Secondly I present a minimum number of factoids concerning Hymenoptera and discuss aspects of their biodiversity that are perhaps foreign to most of us. And lastly I present some notions of public perception concerning Hymenoptera and sugget that if we expect biodiversity to be a household word of some importance to the majority of people living in the world, then it is up to us biologists to make it so. This three step approach reflects my perspecitve as a systematist with a lifelong interest in the environment and its biodiversity. Because I am a specialist in the Hymenoptera, I use examples from this group to illustrate some of my points.