Photo Feature
A Web of Life
<p>A rhinoceros beetle <em>Dynastinae</em> trundles across a tree trunk in Banarhat, West Bengal. Spiders control insect and pest populations across varied ecosystems. To date India has documented as many as 63,000 insect species (of which nearly a third are endemic), with more being discovered every year. Any effort to rewild, or restore wildernesses must ensure the health of microfauna in the ecosystem. Microbes and invertebrates make up a vast chunk of biodiversity and biomass; ignoring them could have dramatic consequences for the environment. It is vital to understand their role and where required, consider their active reintroduction post-restoration to strengthen ecosystem function and biodiversity health.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Photo: Subhajit Paul/Sanctuary Photolibrary.</span></strong></p>