Alpine POLLinator Observatory

Insects play a crucial role in mountain ecosystems, contributing to key ecological functions such as plant pollination and serving as an essential food source for various animals. Despite their importance, global declines in insect diversity, abundance, and biomass are well-documented. However, mountain ecosystems remain underrepresented in insect monitoring efforts due to the logistical challenges posed by steep terrain and limited accessibility, though they are ideal for studying how insect communities respond to temperature variations because of their steep climatic gradients. A novel approach to monitoring insect communities involves automatic insect cameras. Compared to conventional monitoring methods, insect cameras provide a higher temporal resolution for assessing abundance, do not require manual sorting or classification, and avoid the need to kill insects. In this pilot study we use the insect camera system Diopsis along three elevational gradients in the Swiss Alps. We will use computational pipelines to count insects, measure their body size, and classify them into taxonomic groups using both existing and custom-trained algorithms. The project investigates the potential and limitations of automated insect monitoring systems in mountain ecosystems.