Neotropical mountains and insect diversity: anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity changes and conservation challenges

Abstract

Neotropical mountain ecosystems are recognized for their high biodiversity and notable species endemism but are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures resulting from historical and ongoing human activities. These pressures, combined with limited ecological knowledge, have hindered the development of effective conservation strategies for these vulnerable biomes. The present research addresses this issue in two chapters. The first chapter addresses a critical challenge, related to the variability in biodiversity responses to anthropogenic impacts reported in localized studies. Insects were selected as the focal group due to their exceptional diversity, critical ecological roles, and increasing vulnerability to environmental changes. I performed a meta-analysis to evaluate insect responses to different types of anthropogenic impacts. I assessed how insect group, type of associated impacts must be integrated into future sustainable systems aimed at conserving biodiversity. natural habitat transformed, characteristics of anthropogenic transformation, and geographical variables influenced insect responses. The results show how habitat transformation has negative effects on insect communities in Neotropical mountains. It also shows how ants and dung beetles can be more affected by impacts. Furthermore, these impacts were more severe for agriculture and livestock, in equatorial regions, and at lower altitudes. The second chapter, address how the management characteristics and landscape connectivity, influence the dung beetle response due to natural forest conversion to coffee plantations in the tropical Andes mountains. These results reveal how coffee plantations present lower taxonomic and functional dung beetle diversity. However, shaded system and connectivity to natural forest supports higher taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles. The pronounced negative impacts of anthropogenic pressures on Neotropical montane insects highlight the urgent need to prioritize natural habitat protection in future conservation programs. These findings provide valuable insights for structuring effective conservation programs in the Neotropical region, where human development and its associated impacts must be integrated into future sustainable systems aimed at conserving biodiversity.