Finally, the world will be able to feed itself. Pass the hot sauce, please.
Posted on 11/10/2006 8:14:02 AM PST by presidio9
A rise in the Earth’s 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 they’re 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 it’s 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 won’t have to wait long to find out. Insects adapt quickly, so we will likely see changes within our lifetime, Frazier says.
I think that England is better described as 80 proof. :-)
Does that mear Raid stocks will go up?
Whenever I see the word "could" (or it's cousin "may") in a news article, I assume that the article is not meant to inform, but to scare.
Assuming the temperature does rise, all kinds of things could happen. I suppect if there is a increase in the number of insects, there will be an equal increase on those things that eat insects.
More birdbrains?
"One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves." - Kent Brockman
Good news for cockroaches, uh, I mean democrats.
Are they chickens? More fried chicken would be nice.
LOL I was thinking the same thing! I guess those old "Attack of the ___", B-movies, were actually future documentaries.
Lets add this crisis to the long list, the neverending crisis list
Had a professor state bugs cause more waste than humans due to their numbers.
That's along the lines of what I was thinking.
Calculated, agenda-propagating spin.
Being that insects are at the very bottom of the food chain and almost all land animals feed on them or eat other animals that do, I think this is a possitive thing in the animal kingdom.
I live in Louisiana and I will not be able to tell the difference if the insect population increases! I've been doomed for 40 years!!!
More bird poop.
Damm. Too long for a tagline.
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