The traps are set in Norway's nation-wide insect monitoring program

Camilla Næss

2025-05-20T12:56:00.0000000 2025-05-23T09:06:23.4270000

Insects are essential for ecosystem functioning and human well-being. They contribute to pollination, nutrient cycling, food webs, and natural pest control, and also serve as bioindicators, providing critical insights into environmental change. 

In recent decades the global decline of insects have been evident, although long-term time-series have been lacking in Norway. As a response, NINA experts developed a national monitoring program for insects on behalf of the Norwegian Government. 

Trapping insects by the millions

Initiated in Norway in 2020, the monitoring program focuses on insects in forests and agricultural landscapes, with a long-term aim of reaching 250 localities in each of these habitat types. 

“The monitoring provides new and valuable knowledge on the distribution of insect biodiversity and tracks trends across a wide range of insect groups. While the program does not specifically target rare species, it also contributes to improved knowledge on red-listed species and species previously unrecorded in Norway,” says Jens Åström, project lead and insect researcher at NINA.

From April to October, when insect activity is at its peak, researchers collect thousands of species, and millions of individuals using Malaise traps. These are tent-like structures that intercept flying insects, guiding them upward into a collecting bottle filled with ethanol. As manual sorting and identification is virtually impossible, the researchers use metabarcoding, which allows for efficient identification of large numbers of species, saving time, cost and taxonomic effort. 

“The strength of this methodology lies in its ability to efficiently process a large number of samples containing vast numbers of individuals from many species. This has previously been impossible to do,” says Åström.

Since this type of metabarcoding does not destroy the specimens and all samples are preserved, researchers can revisit and verify findings as necessary. 

Towards an EU-wide monitoring program of neglected insects

Although similar methodology is used also in Germany and Sweden, Norway is currently the only European country with a government-funded national insect monitoring program using metabarcoding. Together with partners throughout Europe, researchers now aim at testing the methodology in other European countries with support from Biodiversa+, a co-funded partnership under Horizon Europe. The method can vastly widen the scope of insect monitoring, from a relatively small number of well-known pollinator species, which is the current focus within the EU, to encompassing much of the neglected majority of our insect species. It is therefore especially suitable in countries lacking traditional taxonomic expertise and data. 

“The goal is to implement the methodology across Europe, providing a solid and comparable knowledge-base for more informed conservation efforts and policy development in the region”, Åström concludes. 
 

Invading Norway in the billions through imported garden plants

Jørn J. Fremstad

2024-11-18T07:33:00.0000000 2024-11-25T16:27:03.5200000

Thuja, belonging to the Cupressaceae (cypress family) is one of the imported garden plants bringing the most stowaways to Norway. Here, two Rhaphigaster nebulosa are brought along. Photo credit: Anders Endrestøl, NINA

Invasive species are considered one of the five most important drivers of global biodiversity loss, a threat growing at an unprecedented rate. The ecological and socioeconomic costs are dramatic, with a global economic cost exceeding $423 billion annually in 2019.   

Early detection is key

Eradication measures are often expensive, and their success and cost effectiveness rely heavily on early detection and rapid response, says Research Director Jørgen Rosvold at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).

Commissioned by the Norwegian Government, NINA is monitoring and assessing risks associated with the introduction of alien species via garden plant imports to Norway. The results of 10 years of monitoring is now summarized.

The import of plant products to Norway over the last 30 years has increased greately, and more than 20 000 metric tons of garden plants were imported in 2023 alone. Both soil and plant material have been subjected to analyses by NINA experts.

700 kilograms of soil containing 850 000 insects

More than 700 kilograms of soil have been analyzed in the period 2014-2023, showing large amounts of germinating seeds, insects and other invertebrates introduced to the country as stowaways.

As many as 857 199 insects have been identified and assessed according to the Norwegian Invasive Species List. At least 65 of the 764 species detected in either soil, foliage or flying in between plants do not belong in Norway. NINA experts also identified and assessed 35 913 vascular plants, of which 39 species were alien to Norway.

Estimates gave answers in the billions

Random samples made by the experts add up to only 0.0001 percent of the total volume of garden plants imported during the monitoring period.

Based on the samples, however, we have estimated imports of 800 million germinating seeds and 1.9 billion insects and other invertebrates annually along with garden plants, explains senior researcher Marie Davey at NINA. 

Detects alien species in Norwegian ecosystems

NINA also runs a program to detect and report alien species at an early stage in the wild.  Experts have mapped plants and insects at 90 locations around the Oslofjord, chosen because of being a hotspot for alien species.

We have found 24 species listed on the Norwegian Invasive Species List through this monitoring. Several of them are insects and other invertebrates that have not previously been recorded in Norwegian nature, says Davey.

Call for earlier warning

We have a unique opportunity to follow the invasion process through our monitoring programs. Ideally, we would like to be able to report new alien species detections immediately so that measures can be implemented with the aim of halting a possible invasion. In this way, major negative impacts on nature and society can be prevented, says Rosvold.

As an important step, NINA therefore recommends intensifying sampling of garden plant imports, in order to provide more accurate estimates. The experts also recommend using environmental DNA for a more precise mapping of possible alien species.

Read the report here (Summary in English): Davey, M.L., Westergaard, K.B., Endrestøl, A., Fossøy, F., Hanssen, O., Brandsegg, H., Laugsand, A.E., Opsahl, N.N., Dahle, S., Andersskog, I.P.Ø., Staverløkk, A., Åström, J. 2024. Monitoring the invasion pathway of imported horticultural plants. Basic monitoring 2023 and a ten year summary of results. NINA Rapport 2484. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Learn more about the monitoring of garden plant import here

Contact: Jørgen Rosvold

Mild winters - bad news for Norway's insects

Jørn J. Fremstad

2024-05-02T09:00:00.0000000 2024-05-02T12:00:57.8630000

That insects thrive in warm summers are understandable. More surprising is it that cold winters with high precipitation have a positive effect. As part of the National Monitoring Program for insects in Norway, NINA researchers have looked at the effects of winter and spring weather on insect biomass.

- In the four years we have been collecting insects, biomass has decreased. Hopefully the trend is short-term and that it will reverse with more favourable weather conditions. At the same time, we fear climate change may have negative effects on insects in the future, says NINA researcher and project manager Jens Åström.

The researchers have looked at how precipitation and temperature affect the biomass of insects collected in traps in forests and meadows across large parts of the country. Biomass is calculated as the weight of insects a standardized trap collects per day. Warm and not too dry weather in summer has a positive effect, while a dry and mild winter creates challenges.

Snow as insulation

- It is challenging for insects to survive the winter in Norway, but a thick snow cover insulates well. Based on this, we assume that higher temperatures, which naturally will result in less snow, will affect insects, explains Åström.

In the same way, an early spring will cause insects to become active "too early". Precipitation in the form of rain or setbacks to more wintry conditions can then affect survival.

So far, the National Monitoring Program for insects in Norway has estimated an approximate 14 % decrease in insect biomass annually in the period 2020-23.

For the program, it is reassuring that we are able to detect time trends, but we naturally hope that the decline is short-term, says Åström.

Insects working for nature and people

Insects play a crucial role in most ecosystems. They break down plant material so that nutrients can be used again, they pollinate plants, help regulate pest populations, and they are food for other animals. Several studies show, however, that insect populations have been greatly reduced in recent years, particularly in Europe.

The consequences are difficult to predict in detail, but entire ecosystems could potentially be affected. It is therefore important to understand what influences the occurrence of insects, for example land use or changes in climate. To be able to do that in Norway, continous long-term and country-wide monitoring is crucial, says Åström.

Monitoring becomes country-wide

In 2023, the area covered by the Monitoring Program was extended to also include Northern Norway, which involves a large expansion of weather conditions and latitudes covered by the Program. In 2024, Western Norway will also be included, making the monitoring of meadows nationwide. Forests are currently only monitored in Eastern Norway. The Monitoring Program is run by NINA and financed by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

Contact Jens Åström 

Read the report Monitoring of insects in Norway. Report from the 2023 field season 

NINA opens Centre for Biodiversity Genetics

Jan Arne Stokmo

2022-10-25T13:07:00.0000000 2022-10-25T14:53:35.6400000

The official opening of NINAGEN was carried out by State Secretary Aleksander Øren Heen from the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Present at the opening were many of the users of NINA's genetic laboratory services.

Strengthens nature monitoring

All living things have their own unique DNA profile and access to these ‘biological nametags’ opens up a new world of possibilities for efficiently gathering knowledge about individuals, species and ecosystems. Genetic analyses have become an increasingly important part of contemporary nature management and NINA has a long track record of suppling genetic data and its conclusion to government and industry.

– DNA analyses have become a key tool in natural resource management and assignments from the government and other institutions are only increasing. Today we are opening a new, modern laboratory and establishing a new centre of competence to meet this growing demand, says Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA.

DNA has many uses

NINAGEN delivers genetic services to many areas of nature management. For example, DNA analyses are used when monitoring populations of Scandinavian carnivores, including brown bears, wolverines, wolves and golden eagles.

NINAGEN also uses DNA to monitor the condition of wild salmonid fishes in Norway and for example to quantify the degree of hybridization between wild and farmed salmon in Norwegian rivers.

With Environmental DNA, NINAGEN can simultaneously identify the presence of hundreds of species from only a small sample of water or soil. This methodology can also be used to assess the diets of individual animals via genetic analysis of fecal samples.

– New applications for the use of DNA in monitoring and research are continually emerging, and among others, have been implemented by NINAGEN staff in the management of deer, salamander, insect and plant populations. NINA stands at the cutting edge of this work, says Myklebust.

NINAGEN – a national centre of competence

The Centre for Biodiversity Genetics in Trondheim consists of several geneticists and researchers from various disciplines. Together with a team of experienced laboratory technicians, the centre forms a unique research platform, which can deliver a broad portfolio of genetic analyses. This capability is strengthened by a close collaboration with NINA's many ecologists and taxonomic specialists.

The centre provides services across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, and in organism groups ranging from insects and plants to birds and mammals.

Genetic diversity is very important

– Genetic variation is a key part of biological diversity and is critical for the survival and adaptation of all species. This is more relevant than ever given the rapid pace of environmental change that is unfolding around the world. In this respect, NINAGEN will work efficiently to meet the increasing demand for genetic services, says Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA.

For a research field that is constantly advancing due to technological development, NINAGEN will ensure that contemporary knowledge and methodology are efficiently implemented in Norwegian natural resource management.

Read more about NINAGEN on our new website (link)

Contact persons in NINA: 

Norunn S. Myklebust, managing director of NINA
Jonas Kindberg, head of Rovdata 
Frode Fossøy, senior researcher at NINA