Global Warming Could Trigger Insect Population Boom

[deadparrot]

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.

http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/061104_gb_insects.html

[Triana]

1. Before anyone will listen or pay any attention or do much...

...something climate-change related will have to happen that inconveniences and interferes with peoples' daily lives - THEN they'll be all up in arms about it all. Until then, people are snoozing....(well, too many of them are). By the time the freakin water reaches their deaf ears, it'll be too late.

[phantom power]

6. We won't have to wait very long for that.

For anybody who doesn't already, let me take this opportunity to recommend spending a week or two reading the Environment/Energy forum. I guarantee that it will damage your calm.

[Benhurst]

2. What's good for cockroaches is good for BushAmerica. NT

[msongs]

3. we can always eat them nt

[kestrel91316]

5. Yum. Grasshoppers and ants.

[Dogmudgeon]

9. No way!

We'll need them to make more ethanol for our cars!

--p!
Soylent Ethyl is PEOPLE!

[AlGore-08.com]

4. Great. Insects are the only species that will increase

Mammals (including us), birds, fish and amphibians we can kiss good-bye...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/31/ngreen131.xml

Doomsday vision of global warming: droughts, floods and economic chaos

(snip)

Impact on growth and development

By 2100, an extra 250,000 children a year will die in the poorest countries as a result of climate change, while up to 220 million more people could fall below the $2 a day poverty line. A temperature rise of just 1 C to 2 C could lead to the extinction of between 15 and 40 per cent of all species.

Rising sea levels will threaten countries like Bangladesh but also some of the biggest cities, including London, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai. Ocean acidification could destroy fish stocks, crop failure will leave hundreds of millions at risk of starvation and up to 200 million people will be displaced by rising sea levels, floods and drought. It is already too late to avoid many of the problems facing people in the Third World.

"Strong and early migration is the only way to avoid some of the more severe impacts," the report warns.

(more... )

[hankthecrank]

7. Insects are using shipping container to get around now

Shipping container that move most of the world good are giving insects rides to everywhere. It is a very fast trip.

Insects don't adapt to the new insects. So their numbers go up in their new home with nothing to prey on them.

[KT2000]

8. Which would trigger more pesticide

use, which will trigger more health damage to all living things.