Climate change: majority of insect populations are at risk of extinction
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Climate change can be more damaging than thought causing not just erratic weather behaviour but the wipeout of many species of animals.
Earth's vast insect population are at risk of extinction from climate change, says a study published in journal Nature Climate Change.
Researchers say that over the next century 65 per cent of insect population will disappear.
The changes in thermal stress, caused by climate change, might destabilise animal populations and promote risk of their extinction.
Using advanced models a team of researchers studied the effect of predicted temperature changes over the next century on the cold-blooded insect populations.
Of the 38 insects they studied 25 could face the risk of extinction in the event of temperature swings in their local environments.
"We needed a modeling tool to understand how insect populations will be affected by variations in temperature, and that's what we aimed to offer with this study: a more direct and accurate way for scientists to understand this dynamic," Dr. Kate Duffy, a former postdoctoral researcher at NASA's Ames Research Center, was quoted as saying.
Several studies previously said climate change could have devastating effect across species, alongside putting at risk large number of humans from floods and drought.
Biological diversity, according to studies, is essential for human health, food security, clean air and water. Extinction of vast variety of insects could jeopardize human life in more way than we can count now.
