IBM – Insect Biomass Monitoring Austria

Insects are the most abundant and diverse group of organisms on earth, accounting for more than two thirds of known species. However, there is increasing evidence that insect populations are declining significantly worldwide. Based on the “Krefeld Study”, which showed a 76% decline in insect biomass in Germany over a period of 27 years, we want to initiate and establish a sustainable Austria-wide network of biomass measuring points as part of this project. In addition to pure biomass, the collected samples naturally also contain valuable information on species distribution and biodiversity. Recording biodiversity using meta-barcoding opens up an efficient way of identifying and classifying many species in a short space of time.