Insects and climate change: processes, patterns and implications for conservation.

Abstract

The effects of climatic change on insect biodiversity and conservation, and the importance of insects as model systems for biological responses to climatic change and associated conservation measures are described. Studies on recent responses of insects to climatic change (shifts in distribution and phenology) and mechanisms behind climate-related shifts in distribution and phenology (those related to population size, growth, survival, fecundity and adaptive responses, and those associated with biotic interactions, and habitat loss and fragmentation) are reviewed. Models for the prediction of the effects of climatic change on insect conservation and ecology are mentioned.

Anthropogenic impacts on tropical forest biodiversity: a network structure and ecosystem functioning perspective

“…Many studies have shown that climate change causes range shifts to higher latitudes and elevations, as species expand into areas that become climatically suitable and contract from areas that become too warm (Wilson et al 2007). Additionally, climate warming affects the phenology of species leading to potential mismatches between interacting species, for example, between pollinators and plants (Stenseth & Mysterud 2002).…”

Invasions and Insect Conservation

“…6 ), exercises that clearly endorsed that climate tolerance and suitability is essential to establishment success. However, the four general conclusions on insect conservation in a changing climate made by Wilson et al ( 2007 ) (Table 10.3 ) all raise issues of very wide concern. Not least, and as recognised widely by others, the contrast in responses between generalist and specialist taxa parallels some characteristics of 'more invasive' versus 'less invasive' species in other contexts.…”

“…Putative infl uences of global warming refl ect the widespread scenarios that temperature and precipitation are important determinants of species' regional distributions through infl uences on physiological parameters, and set limits to elevational and latitudinal ranges of many taxa (Wilson et al 2007 ). However, fi rmly establishing any such causal link between range limits and climatic factors is diffi cult: as Gaston ( 2009 ) noted, relevant evidence may take the form that conditions that exceed levels within the current range preclude completion of the normal life cycle or impose excessive mortality.…”

Arthropods in Canada's grasslands: synthesis and future directions

“…Warmer temperatures are expected to increase levels of carbon dioxide and alter precipitation on grasslands, which are likely to suffer further habitat fragmentation and loss, making it difficult for all biota to adapt (Lovejoy and Hannah 2005;Pachauri and Reisinger 2007). There is growing evidence that insects are one of the first groups of living organisms to respond to global warming (Harrington and Stork 1995;Wilson et al 2007). Hillstrom and Lindroth (2008) found that elevated CO 2 and O 3 altered the abundance of insects and composition of communities in forests, but did not affect family-level richness.…”