All Diptera Biodiversity Inventory of a Tropical Mid-Elevation Site

令人惊讶的是，我们对地球上有多少物种知之甚少。大多数已知物种出现在热带地区，其中大多数是昆虫。该项目将在哥斯达黎加的一个地点清点所有不同种类的真蝇(双翅目)。由于这是第一次尝试这样的研究，物种的数量尚不清楚，但预计会非常高，其中许多是科学上的新物种。将进行密集的收集，来自世界各地的46名专家将合作研究89个苍蝇家族的每一个。预计至少有3000种物种将出现在研究地点。我们星球上的生物多样性正处于严重的困境中。对哺乳动物和鸟类的威胁已经得到了很好的研究，但对这种种类繁多的昆虫几乎一无所知。作为分解者、传粉者、捕食者等，昆虫是生态系统的重要组成部分。栖息地的大范围破坏几乎肯定意味着每年有数千人灭绝，丧失了它们重要的生态服务，以及它们为科学提供信息的潜力。这项调查将首次提供热带生态系统中一大类昆虫有多少种的重要信息。此外，调查人员还计划进行重大的公众宣传。例如，许多人都熟悉这样一个观点，即我们的星球上有大量的物种，其中许多物种正受到全球变暖、臭氧消耗、污染和森林砍伐等现象的威胁。然而，很少有人理解科学家实际上是如何研究和解释生物多样性的。网站的一部分将描述在热带地点研究双翅目多样性的探险，并将包括丰富的照片和一些视频。研究人员计划使用的白话和将使用的视觉媒体将面向普通公众，展示科学家如何开始对热带土地上巨大的苍蝇多样性感到困惑。该网站会介绍科学家们吗？然后，一步一步地描绘他们是如何采样、分类和发现生活在那里的物种的。一些演示文稿还将涉及一些已发现物种的有趣故事。

Surprisingly little is known about how many species are on our planet. Most of the known species occur in the tropics, and most of these are insects. This project will inventory all of the different species of true flies (Diptera) at a single site in Costa Rica. Because this is the first time such a study has been attempted, the number of species is unknown, but is expected to be extremely high, with many new to science. Intensive collections will be made, and 46 experts from around the world will collaborate to study each of the 89 families of flies. At least 3,000 species are expected to be present at the study site. The biodiversity on our planet is in serious trouble. Threats to mammals and birds are well studied but virtually nothing is known about the hugely diverse insects. As decomposers, pollinators, predators and much more, insects are vital components of ecosystems. The widespread destruction of habitats almost certainly means that thousands are going extinct every year, eliminating their important ecological services, and their potential to inform science. This survey will, for the first time, provide vital information of how many species of a major group of insects live in a tropical ecosystem. In addition, the investigators plan significant public outreach. As an example, many people are familiar with the idea that there are large numbers of species on our planet and that many are under threat by such phenomena as global warming, ozone depletion, pollution and deforestation. Few, however, understand how scientists actually go about studying and interpreting biodiversity. A portion of the web site will describe the expedition to study the diversity of Diptera at a tropical site and will include copious photographs and a number of videos. The vernacular the investigators plan to use and the visual media to be employed will be directed to the general public, showing how scientists begin by being puzzled by, in this case, the tremendous diversity of flies in a tropical land. The site will describe the scientists? levels of ignorance and then, step by step, portray how they sample, sort and discover the species that are living there. Some presentations will additionally relate interesting stories of some of the species discovered.