Editing Fig wasp (section)

== Conservation ==
Conservation efforts aim to control the populations often times targeting figs and fig wasps separately in order to develop strategies that are distinct for each species.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=McKey |first=D. |date=July 1989 |title=Population biology of figs: Applications for conservation |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/BF01975683 |journal=Experientia |language=en |volume=45 |issue=7 |pages=661–673 |doi=10.1007/BF01975683 |issn=0014-4754}}</ref> Because many of these [[Mutualism (biology)|mutualist]] interactions are species specific it makes it difficult for [[Conservation movement|conservationists]] to focus on the group at large, rather tackling individual populations with high concern. There is already heavily studied control mechanisms in figs that control for wasp populations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Dunn |first=Derek W |date=2020-03-31 |title=Stability in fig tree–fig wasp mutualisms: how to be a cooperative fig wasp |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blaa027 |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=130 |issue=1 |pages=1–17 |doi=10.1093/biolinnean/blaa027 |issn=0024-4066}}</ref> The current focus in the field is the conservation of fig wasp species as the role of [[pollinator]]s is steadily declining with climate change. Because many of these species have [[Coevolution|coevolved]] together through generations the main aim of conservation strategies is that protection of one species in the mutualism in turn affects the other, so by developing strategies to protect threatened wasp populations, the species of fig associated with it will also be impacted.<ref name=":1" />

Many figs are also [[keystone species]] in their environment, being food sources and homes for a wide range of species. Fig wasps are [[Obligate mutualism|obligate mutualists]] with their respective fig species, not being able to survive without each other.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jousselin |first=Emmanuelle |last2=Hossaert-McKey |first2=Martine |last3=Herre |first3=Edward Allen |last4=Kjellberg |first4=Finn |date=2002-12-17 |title=Why do fig wasps actively pollinate monoecious figs? |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-002-1116-0 |journal=Oecologia |volume=134 |issue=3 |pages=381–387 |doi=10.1007/s00442-002-1116-0 |issn=0029-8549}}</ref> The loss of a pollinator wasp would result in the decline of a fig species, resulting in the general decline in the [[Habitat fragmentation|habitat]].<ref name=":02" /> These reasons are why fig wasps have become a main focus among conservationists with the aim of protecting crucial keystone fig species.