DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.4.4768
Review article
Understanding the physiological effects of climate change on agricultural pests
2025, 26 (4) p. 995-1014
Abstract
The increase in global average surface temperatures due to anthropogenic activities and the resulting climate change affects ecosystems in various ways. Melting glaciers and rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity, increasing intensity and frequency of floods and storms, drought in some parts of the world, the inability to sustain agricultural activities, and the threat to food security have become multi-faceted and very difficult to solve. Climate change affects all living organisms and has negative effects on agricultural pests. Insects respond to temperature increases by expanding their geographical distribution, increasing their voltinism and changes in their phenology. Climate change may affect the interactions of insect species with other species at higher and lower trophic levels. These climate-induced impacts are highly complex and variable, sometimes increasing pest pressure or reducing pollination. The effects of climate change are already being seriously observed today, and these effects are expected to become even more severe in the coming years. With many climate projections, it is already possible to predict a number of negative scenarios that could happen in the future due to rising global temperatures. Despite growing efforts to combat the impacts of climate change through adaptation and mitigation strategies, scientists emphasise that humanity is only at the beginning of a long and complex journey. This study highlights the potential impacts of climate change on insect physiology. Selected studies on climate change and its effects on agricultural pests in recent years are brought together to present possible future scenarios.
Keywords
climate crisis, harmful insects, CO2, biodiversity, temperature
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