An Evalutaion of Robber Fly (Diptera: Asilidae) Diversity in Mongolia

Authors

Tristan McKnight, Brigham Young University
Dr. C. Riley Nelson, Brigham Young University

Keywords

robber fly, diptera, asilidae, Mongolia, insects

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

Abstract

The last few decades have seen an explosion of agricultural expansion and mining in Mongolia. These developments—loosely regulated at best—strain the ecological health of the steppe environment with pollution and overgrazing. Robber flies (Fig. 1) are small predators common in most terrestrial ecosystems that may play an important, yet frequently overlooked role in maintaining balanced insect populations. Unfortunately, very little baseline data exist for evaluating robber fly diversity in Mongolia. Our study set out to provide a comprehensive catalogue of Mongolian robber flies which we hope will assist future efforts to manage and conserve Mongolia’s ecosystems.

Recommended Citation

McKnight, Tristan and Nelson, Dr. C. Riley (2013) "An Evalutaion of Robber Fly (Diptera: Asilidae) Diversity in Mongolia," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1107.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1107