Terrestrial Arthropod Inventory of Madagascar

节肢动物占世界陆地生物多样性的75%以上，在物种丰富的栖息地受到威胁的马达加斯加等地区，应给予更多关注。该项目将提供马达加斯加节肢动物物种丰富度、周转率和特有模式的数据，马达加斯加是地球上节肢动物主要保护重点之一，也是探索最少的生物地理区域之一。拟议的清单对于了解马达加斯加节肢动物的起源和进化至关重要，对于在岛上制定保护最多样化的保护优先事项至关重要，而这一努力受到缺乏收集和训练有素的生物学家的严重阻碍。该项目与马达加斯加Tsimbazaza动植物公园（PBZT）合作，主要目标如下：(1)在马达加斯加西部和南部的15个地点对陆生节肢动物进行密集清查；(2)为马达加斯加的保护机构提供基线生物多样性数据，以完善保护规划；(3)建立由密钥、检查清单、目录和标本数据组成的在线数字数据库；(4)协助在马达加斯加建立国家节肢动物收藏；(5)通过培养昆虫学家和研究生，促进马达加斯加人对昆虫学的理解。

Arthropods constitute more than 75% of the terrestrial world's biodiversity and deserve increased attention in regions of the world, such as Madagascar, where species-rich habitats are under threat. This project will provide data on patterns of species richness, turnover, and endemism of arthropods in Madagascar, one of the major conservation priorities and one of the least explored biogeographic regions for arthropods on earth. The proposed inventories are critical for efforts to understand the origin and evolution of the arthropods of Madagascar and are essential for developing conservation priorities on the island that preserve the most diversity, an effort seriously impeded by a lack of collections and trained biologists. In collaboration with the Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park (PBZT) in Madagascar, the project has the following primary goals: (1) conduct intensive inventories of terrestrial arthropods in 15 localities in western and southern Madagascar; (2) provide conservation agencies in Madagascar with baseline biodiversity data for sound conservation planning; (3) establish a digital database consisting of keys, check lists, catalogues, and specimen data on line; (4) assist in developing a national arthropod collection in Madagascar; (5) promote Malagasy understanding of entomology through training of parataxonmists and graduate students.