| The goal of this project is the identification and evaluation of the relevant factors influencing the populations of insects in Austria. In a first step, potential factors will be analysed in regard to their impact on the life cycle of insects. To asess the importance of these factors a set of approx. 4.000 species of insects will be analysed concerning their \“risk-factors\”, mainly their reliance on certain plant species or other food resources, certain micro- and macroclimatic demands or rare habitat-strucures. An intersection of the risk-factors of the insects with the impact of the analysed factors as well as the development of the factor in Austria in the last 30 years will lead to a priorisation of the relevance of the analysed factors concerning the welfare of insect populations. The results will be verified by a set of before-after-studies, repeating insect-studies with quantitative methodology from the 1990s and 2000s with the same method. This includes studies on Grasshoppers, Bumblebees, Butterflies, Bugs and Cicadas. The study will be done in close collaboration with the current development of the new agri-environmental scheme for Austria to deliver useful recommendations for the preservation of insect populations. |