Scientists concerned with a recently identified “Insect Apocalypse” have discovered an alarming rate of decline in new research comparing recent ant populations on the Fijian archipelago to museum collections, as reported in a new paper published in Science. With their major roles in crucial ecosystem functions, such as pollination and decomposition, the declines in insect populations discovered in recent studies are a significant cause for concern. Studying the Insect ApocalypseWhile the majority of biodiversity monitoring work is centered on larger, more readily monitored animals, the OIST researchers zoomed in on an important and poorly understood issue: the Insect Apocalypse. From the team’s analysis, 65 colonization events emerged, identifying the moments when new ant species arrived on an island. “This study also highlights the importance of biodiversity and museum collections,” explains co-author Professor Alexander Mikheyev of the Australian National University.