Why are the palaeorefugial peat bog insects scientific priority of nature conservation?

Boreal peat bogs of Central Europe contain many distinctive insect species in addition to widely distributed generalists, including species restricted to bogs (tyrphobionts) and species characteristic of bogs but not confined to them (tyrphophiles). These ancient peatlands (palaeorefugia) are oligotrophic, acidic and dominated by Sphagnum mosses, and form characteristic habitat islands in the southern boreal and temperate forest zones. The peat bogs preserve relict ecosystems related to subarctic biomes, and characteristic isolated populations of cold-adapted insects live there. The insects of boreal peat bogs therefore are of great biogeographical and ecological interest, and their sensitivity to change makes them valuable as bioindicators. Among examples of most important model groups of relict insects are tyrphobiontic species of ground beetles and moths, which follow a distinct ecological gradient between the bog margin and the bog centre, with preference to the centre of biotop. The degree of habitat preference between the bog margin and centre is taxonomically specific and significant. The tyrphophilous and tyrphoneutral species are distributed in the peat bog mostly randomly. The conservation of insect biodiversity associated with isolated peat bogs depends on complete preservation of theedaphic ecological conditions of the fragile habitat island and its spatial structure.

Spitzer K., Danks H.V. (2006): Insect biodiversity of boreal peat bogs. Annual Review of Entomology, 51: 137-161. 

Bezděk A., Jaroš J., Spitzer K. (2006): Spatial distribution of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and moths (Lepidoptera) in the Mrtvý luh bog, Šumava Mts (Central Europe): a test of habitat island community. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15: 395-409.