Habitat Fragmentation, Species Loss, and Biological Control

TLDR

Fragmentation of habitats in the agricultural landscape is a major threat to biological diversity, which is largely determined by insects. Manually established islands of red clover were colonized by most available herbivore species but few parasitoid species. Habitat fragmentation lowered species richness and natural enemy impacts, with herbivores receiving only 19–60 % of the parasitism seen in non‑isolated populations, colonization‑failure species exhibiting small, variable populations, and overall predator control being released.

Abstract

Fragmentation of habitats in the agricultural landscape is a major threat to biological diversity, which is greatly determined by insects. Isolation of habitat fragments resulted in decreased numbers of species as well as reduced effects of natural enemies. Manually established islands of red clover were colonized by most available herbivore species but few parasitoid species. Thus, herbivores were greatly released from parasitism, experiencing only 19 to 60 percent of the parasitism of nonisolated populations. Species failing to successfully colonize isolated islands were characterized by small and highly variable populations. Accordingly, lack of habitat connectivity released insects from predator control.