Study shows massive insect loss
washingtonpost.com
Study shows massive insect loss
1–10 of 213 posts
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#2re: "Lister and Garcia attribute this crash to climate. In the same 40-year period as the arthropod crash, the average high temperature in the rain forest increased by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures in the tropics stick to a narrow band. The invertebrates that live there, likewise, are adapted to these temperatures and fare poorly outside them; bugs cannot regulate their internal heat."
No doubt, this is alarming. None the less, couldn't this suggest that the species in question simply moved to more suitable climate? That is, there is a difference between being killed off, and leaving an area that no meets their needs.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#3re: "Lister and Garcia attribute this crash to climate. In the same 40-year period as the arthropod crash, the average high temperature in the rain forest increased by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures in the tropics stick to a narrow band. The invertebrates that live there, likewise, are adapted to these temperatures and fare poorly outside them; bugs cannot regulate their internal heat." No doubt, this is alar…
The study cited in the paper was carried out on Puerto Rico. There isn't exactly another more suitable climate to migrate to.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#4re: "Lister and Garcia attribute this crash to climate. In the same 40-year period as the arthropod crash, the average high temperature in the rain forest increased by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures in the tropics stick to a narrow band. The invertebrates that live there, likewise, are adapted to these temperatures and fare poorly outside them; bugs cannot regulate their internal heat." No doubt, this is alar…
Have any of these studies found places where insect populations have not declined at all?
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#5re: "Lister and Garcia attribute this crash to climate. In the same 40-year period as the arthropod crash, the average high temperature in the rain forest increased by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures in the tropics stick to a narrow band. The invertebrates that live there, likewise, are adapted to these temperatures and fare poorly outside them; bugs cannot regulate their internal heat." No doubt, this is alar…
Have any of these studies found places where insect populations have not declined at all?
Midges in Northern Europe still seem to be thriving.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#6We talked this summer in a wonderfull warm night about it. Usually there are some kind of bugs around at nighttime. But there was not even one around. Our idea was, because of all light is LED now, or something like this.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#7re: "Lister and Garcia attribute this crash to climate. In the same 40-year period as the arthropod crash, the average high temperature in the rain forest increased by 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures in the tropics stick to a narrow band. The invertebrates that live there, likewise, are adapted to these temperatures and fare poorly outside them; bugs cannot regulate their internal heat." No doubt, this is alar…
A catastrophic decline has also been reported in Germany: https://phys.org/news/2017-10-three-quarters-total-insect-po...
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#8We talked this summer in a wonderfull warm night about it. Usually there are some kind of bugs around at nighttime. But there was not even one around. Our idea was, because of all light is LED now, or something like this.
Insects can see ultraviolet light but not red.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#9First the climate came for the coral reefs, and I did not speak up because I am not a marine invertebrate.
Then, the climate came for the rest of the arthropods, and I did not speak up because I only have two legs.
Then, the climate came for the fishes of the sea, and I did not speak up because I do not have gills.
Then, the climate came for the plants, and I did not speak up because I am not a tree.
Then, the climate came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.
These are serious warnings the planet is giving us and those in charge are more concerned about their nest egg than their grandchildren's future. Something's gotta give, and so far it's Earth's ecosystems.
Re: Study shows massive insect loss
#10Years ago, my family used to drive to our grandparents' village in hot, summer Friday nights.
The windshield ended so pestered with dead bugs that the first task on Saturday morning was to drive the car to the river to clean it. I remember it vividly because it was so fun to wash the car with the cold river water.
Last August I went stargazing with my wife. We chose a secluded area because it was far away from light pollution, a few hours away from the capital.
We watched the Perseids for a couple of hours in the middle of a field. We had no lights on, but being CO2-emitting mammals, no flying insect bothered us. We had anti-mosquito spray ready but we didn't need to use it. There were a few ants but that's it.
Afterwards, I drove an hour and a half at 2am and only a few bugs died on my windshield. I didn't even need to use the wipers the next morning.
I hate mosquitoes as much as everybody else, but something has been happening to insects in the last 20 years. As a human it's comfortable but I'm honestly a bit afraid for the environment. And studies like this don't paint a positive picture.