Global Warming Could Trigger Insect Population
Boom
By Abigail W. Leonard
Special to LiveScience
posted: 04 November 2006
01:15 pm ET
A rise in the Earths temperature could lead to an increase in the
number of insects worldwide, with potentially dire consequences for
humans, a new study suggests.
New research shows that insect species living in warmer areas are
more likely to undergo rapid population growth because they have
higher metabolic rates and reproduce more frequently. The finding
has scientists concerned that global warming could give rise to
more fast-growing insect populations and that we could see a spike
in the number of six-legged critters.
The consequences could be more serious than just a few extra bug
bites each summer. If theyre crop species, we could count on
needing to use more pesticides and it could be very costly, said
Melanie Frazier, a doctoral student at the University of Washington
and lead author of the study.
Insect-borne diseases are also a worry. Malaria, Lyme Disease and a
host of others rely on insect vectors to spread among humans, and a
swell in their populations could mean more infections.
Already, scientists have observed a widening of malarial zones with
new cases appearing in previously unaffected areas. The change is
thought to be due to rising temperatures and an expansion of areas
habitable for mosquitoes. The new research, detailed in the October
issue of The American Naturalist, shows rising temperatures would
mean insects would not only spread out, but also multiply more
quickly.
Still, Frazier says its too soon to predict which species will
adapt and which might even face extinction. She and her colleagues
looked at 65 insect species and found a correlation between warm
climes and population growth across the board but, she cautioned,
the scientists have no way of predicting which species will
eventually adapt to new, warmer areas.
We wont have to wait long to find out. Insects adapt quickly, so
we will likely see changes within our lifetime, Frazier says.