It has been estimated that there are seven million terrestrial arthropod species on Earth consisting of 6.1 million species of insects, 1.5 million of which are beetles. Tropical forests hold a majority of these species, yet few such places have been adequately sampled for alpha diversity, and there remains even more uncertainty about beta diversity. From an ecological point of view, it is the functional role of organisms within ecosystems that is the particular focus. It has been customary to classify invertebrates within ecosystems in terms of their trophic roles, but it is also useful to consider their roles in networks. In broad terms, we can classify these networks on the grounds of their basal resources. Those based directly on the photosynthetic products of plants are so-called “green” food webs, and those based on dead and dying plant material are “brown” food webs. Here, we principally discuss the diversity and functional roles of the invertebrates in tropical terrestrial ecosystems. New sampling and analytical techniques, an expanded set of focal taxa, and an enhanced concern with interactions and processes hold the promise of a productive future for invertebrate studies in the tropics. These will not only add to general understanding of the dynamics of tropical ecosystems but will also provide powerful tools for monitoring and responding to environmental change.

中文翻译：

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无脊椎动物和热带生态系统的复杂性

据估计，地球上有 700 万种陆地节肢动物，其中包括 610 万种昆虫，其中 150 万种是甲虫。热带森林拥有这些物种的大部分，但很少有这样的地方对 alpha 多样性进行了充分采样，而 beta 多样性仍然存在更多不确定性。从生态学的角度来看，生态系统中生物体的功能作用是特别关注的焦点。习惯上根据营养作用对生态系统中的无脊椎动物进行分类，但考虑它们在网络中的作用也很有用。从广义上讲，我们可以根据它们的基础资源对这些网络进行分类。那些直接基于植物光合产物的食物网是所谓的“绿色”食物网，那些基于死亡和垂死植物材料的食物网是“棕色”食物网。在这里，我们主要讨论热带陆地生态系统中无脊椎动物的多样性和功能作用。新的采样和分析技术、扩展的焦点分类群以及对相互作用和过程的增强关注，为热带无脊椎动物研究带来了富有成效的未来。这些不仅会增加对热带生态系统动态的一般理解，而且还将为监测和应对环境变化提供强大的工具。对相互作用和过程的日益关注有望为热带无​​脊椎动物研究带来富有成效的未来。这些不仅会增加对热带生态系统动态的一般理解，而且还将为监测和应对环境变化提供强大的工具。对相互作用和过程的日益关注有望为热带无​​脊椎动物研究带来富有成效的未来。这些不仅会增加对热带生态系统动态的一般理解，而且还将为监测和应对环境变化提供强大的工具。