Origins, Distributions and Diversity

Abstract

Unlike many other parts of the world, we still have the privilege of being able to evaluate and study much of Australia’s insect life under reasonably natural conditions. Despite the extensive and severe changes to Australian environments over the rather short period since European settlement, and continuing human pressures on natural ecosystems, many of them – at least in remnant form – still maintain sufficient naturalness to support understanding of patterns of insect distribution and evolution, species richness, endemism, genetic and ecological variety within species, and other fundamental aspects of ‘diversity’. Changes to Australia’s natural ecosystems have almost certainly already led to the demise of many insects and other invertebrate species, so that there is some urgency about how we may be able to proceed on such study within the island continent. Without increased commitment to conserving Australia’s remaining natural environments, and enhanced resources to survey and study our biota, the opportunity to do so will be lost. It can never be regained.