Ecological Insights into Insect Diversity using Monitoring Light Traps: A Case Study Conducted in Kekedala City, Xinjiang, China

Insects play a crucial role in ecosystem stability, biodiversity conservation, and environmental monitoring. Their diversity, distribution, and population dynamics are essential indicators of ecological health, particularly in regions undergoing environmental or anthropogenic changes. This study examines the variety of insects in urban, suburban, and rural environments in Kekedala City, Xinjiang, China, between April and August 2023. 63,090 specimens in all, belonging to 123 taxa and 57 families, were gathered. Two new species were discovered by combining DNA barcoding and morphological classification, adding to databases of biodiversity worldwide. Ecological indices, including Shannon-Wiener, Simpson’s Diversity, and Evenness, revealed high species diversity across all sites, with consistent species richness (17 species) and evenness near 1.0, indicating balanced community structures. Seasonal abundance peaked in July and August, correlating with higher humidity, although temperature did not significantly affect insect abundance. Statistical analyses, including Generalized Linear Models (GLM), confirmed a weak negative correlation between insect abundance and humidity, with no significant site-based differences in population levels. Indicating that insect populations are adaptive across land-use types, Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) and Bray-Curtis metrics revealed slight differences in community composition. The identification of two new recorded species Stethoconus pyri and Pinacoplus didymogramma was confirmed by DNA barcoding, underscoring the significance of genetic technologies in biodiversity studies. This study highlights the adaptability of insect communities in rural, suburban, and urban settings. It also highlights the necessity of long-term monitoring and sophisticated molecular techniques in conservation plans of the future.