Germany – Environmental services – Umsetzung des bundesweiten Insektenmonitorings in Sachsen-Anhalt: 2027-2029, 2 Lose

Recent publications have shown that long-term, significant declines in the abundance and biomass of insects have occurred (DEUTSCHE BUNDESREGIERUNG 2017, HALLMANN et al. 2017). This has led to increased public awareness of insect decline and highlighted the need to implement effective measures to protect insect fauna in Germany. It has also become clear that the knowledge base regarding the occurrence, distribution, and population development of the over 33,000 insect species in Germany, as well as the causes thereof, needs to be improved. To date, however, there has been no nationwide standardized monitoring of insect fauna to determine scientifically sound information on the status and long-term development of insect populations using standardized methods on representative areas, evaluate them nationwide, and thus also evaluate implemented insect protection measures. Against this background, the 89th Umweltministerkonferenz (UMK) on 17 November 2017 in Potsdam, in its resolution on Top 40, requested the Federal Government to commission the BfN to develop a uniform methodology guideline "Insect Monitoring" and to establish a national monitoring program for recording insect fauna in Germany. This is to achieve well-founded results on the population development of native insect fauna and, at the same time, to research the different causes of insect decline (BUNDESAMT FÜR NATURSCHUTZ 2021, STREITBERGER et al. 2021, LUDWIG et al. in press). The insect monitoring is modular in design. The objective of the service is to implement various modules (see details below). This will collect data that contribute to scientifically sound information on the status and development of insect populations in Germany using reproducible and standardized methods on representative areas and can be evaluated nationwide. The objective of the service of Lot 2 is to implement Module 1B: "Grasshoppers in Grassland" in the years 2027-2029 on a total of 4 comparison areas with potentially high suitability for grasshopper biodiversity in Saxony-Anhalt. The study should particularly evaluate and compare the occurrence of grasshoppers inside and outside of Great Bustard protection fences. Great Bustards require a lot of insect biomass for rearing their young. Grasshoppers play an important role in this. For further information, please refer to the service descriptions (Annex 02-1 for Lot 1 and Annex 02-2 for Lot 2).