International Union for the Conservation of Nature Report Released: Spineless: Status and Trends of the World's Invertebrates

This month, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released a report titled, Spineless: Status and Trends of the World's Invertebrates. The 88-page report available here, as a downloadable pdf,

contains the most comprehensive assessment of the status and trends of the world’s invertebrates conducted to date. It introduces the staggering diversity of invertebrates, ranging from microscopic zooplankton to giant squid. These organisms represent around 80% of the known species on our planet, providing a rich and varied component of the natural world. They are our natural capital; the engineers of the many benefits which humans accrue from an intact and fully functioning environment.