Invertebrates (animals without backbones) constitute 95% of all animal species on Earth, and perform vital roles in all ecological systems. Despite their importance, many invertebrate species are disappearing at an alarming rate.
The CBC seeks to raise public awareness about the value of invertebrates, bringing citizens and scientists together to enhance knowledge of invertebrates and their conservation; developing scientific tools to address key obstacles to invertebrate conservation, drawing on the taxonomic strengths of the Museum; and offering regional resources, linking a broader user base to practical information and tools for local invertebrate research and conservation.
INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION
Invertebrates dominate
virtually every global ecosystem in terms of species richness, biomass,
and ecological function. Taken as a whole, the Invertebrata constitute
80% of Earth’s species, and over 95% of all animal species. The
phylum Arthropoda alone, with roughly 1.1 million described species,
represents over 82% of all animal diversity. Invertebrates are perv asive
elements of every food chain, as herbivores, predators, parasites,
and decomposers. They are food for mammals, birds, fish, reptiles,
and other invertebrates. Ecosystem services provided by invertebrates—such
as pollination, soil creation and aeration, decomposition, and seed
dispersal—are estimated to be worth trillions of dollars to our
economy each year.
Widespread
threats to invertebrate biodiversity, such as habitat loss, introduced
species, and pollution, are rapidly driving many invertebrate species
to the edge of extinction. In the US, the three most endangered groups
of organisms— freshwater mussels, crayfish, and stoneflies—are
all invertebrates. Almost 70% of all freshwater mussel species are
in need of immediate conservation measures, compared to just 16% of
mammals and 14% of bird species. The imperilment of invertebrates is
not solely a North American crisis—some 22% of Austria’s
invertebrates are considered threatened or endangered, as are almost
1,600 species of Britain’s insect fauna.
 Despite
their importance, these poorly described and often misunderstood animals
are largely absent from the majority of conservation planning and biodiversity
management strategies. Developing innovative approaches to overcoming
the dearth of taxonomic and ecological understanding of many invertebrates,
while devising strategies for monitoring, managing, and conserving
the millions of invertebrate species represents one of the greatest
challenges facing today’s conservation community. In addition,
efforts to conserve invertebrates are severely hampered by a lack of
public understanding of the values of invertebrate biodiversity.
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