The more leaves, the more photosynthesis, a chemical reaction that gobbles up CO2. That’s the good news in global greening: It’s helping offset some of the impacts of climate change, but could there be any unforeseen negatives? Scientists have found a clear link between extreme land use and the climate crisis in pushing insect species toward collapse.
The trend of global greening persisted in 2024, with levels reaching almost record highs driven by significant improvements in the mid-western USA, Europe, northern Australia, and parts of equatorial Africa. However, climatic factors led to browning trends in Russia, Canada, Mexico, and tropical drylands. The overall vegetation greenness in 2024 ranks as the fourth highest on record according to satellite data, following the years 2020, 2021, and 2023.
The rise in green vegetation plays a crucial role in the Earth's biosphere evolution amidst the current era of climate change. The main drivers behind this worldwide increase in greenery include higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, increasing temperatures, and changes in land utilization. A warning from an Australian scientist highlights the potential severe consequences of the emerging "insect apocalypse" on both the environment and human society. A recent global research project focusing on the impact of climate change on insects predicts that the decline in insect populations will significantly hinder humanity's ability to establish a sustainable future.
In the midst of the continuous trend of warming over the long term, there has been a significant increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. This rise is widely recognized as a key factor contributing to the deceleration or possible reversal of the global trend towards vegetation greening, shifting towards browning. Particularly noteworthy is the year 2023, marked as the warmest on record, intensified by a strong El Niño occurrence that greatly influenced the occurrence of extreme events such as heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires worldwide.
Florida was the top citrus producer in the US, generating over 300 million boxes in the 1990s. Production dropped significantly from 2005, falling to 15.85 million boxes in 2023, a 90.6% decrease. California is now the leading citrus producer in the country. The spread of Huanglongbing (HLB) is a major concern, with over 5000 infected trees removed from residential areas. But bacteria is not the only problem exacerbated by Climate.
The influence of climate change and extreme weather conditions on crop production and agricultural pests is significant. Insects pests, known for their adaptability, respond differently to various climate change factors. This study examines how elevated temperatures, increasing atmospheric CO2 levels, and changing precipitation patterns affect agricultural insect pests. Since temperature is a key factor in insect population dynamics, it is expected that global climate warming could result in the expansion of geographic ranges for these pests, improved overwintering survival rates, more generational cycles, higher risk of invasive insect species and plant diseases transmitted by insects, and changes in their interactions with host plants and natural predators. As climate change exacerbates pest problems, there is an urgent need for innovative pest management strategies in the future.
The joint impact of climate change and the expansion of agriculture is leading to a significant decrease in insect populations in certain regions worldwide. Scientists have observed notable declines in insect populations in warmer areas, especially in tropical regions, where they have identified concerning reductions in insect diversity. The disappearance of all insects from the planet would result in a significant disruption of the food chain, leading to reduced food availability for humans. Furthermore, the pollination of plants would be greatly impacted, resulting in lower production levels of fruits, vegetables, and grains and global mass starvation.
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