Assessment of Insect Biodiversity Along Urban–Rural Environmental Gradients

Abstract

Abstract—
Urbanization is one of the most significant drivers of ecological transformation, altering habitat structure, resource availability, and microclimatic conditions that directly influence insect diversity and ecosystem functioning. Assessing insect biodiversity along urban–rural environmental gradients provides valuable insights into species responses to anthropogenic disturbances and landscape heterogeneity. This study investigates variations in insect species richness, abundance, diversity indices, and community composition across representative urban, suburban, peri-urban, and rural ecosystems. Standardized sampling methods, including sweep netting, pitfall trapping, light trapping, and yellow sticky traps, are employed over multiple seasons to capture diverse insect taxa. Biodiversity is quantified using ecological indices such as Shannon–Wiener, Simpson's Diversity, Margalef Richness, and Pielou's Evenness, while multivariate statistical techniques evaluate relationships between insect assemblages and environmental variables including vegetation cover, land-use intensity, temperature, humidity, and pollution levels. The study hypothesizes that rural habitats support greater taxonomic diversity and ecological stability, whereas urban environments exhibit reduced richness but increased dominance of disturbance-tolerant species. Findings are expected to demonstrate a progressive shift in community structure along the urban–rural continuum, highlighting the ecological consequences of rapid urban expansion. The research contributes to biodiversity conservation by identifying ecological indicators of environmental quality and supporting sustainable urban planning strategies that integrate green infrastructure and habitat connectivity to preserve insect diversity and essential ecosystem services.