Climate, pests and pesticide residues

摘要

Over the geological times, the earth's climate had always been subjected to natural variations. But the current warming is different in that it is accelerated by human activity. The change in climate will be so quick that plant and animal species maynot have the time to adapt and adjust to the new environment and therefore, some of them may even face extinction! Because of the environmental change, there will be changes in the timing of natural processes like flowering, leaf fall and leaf coverage in plants. Insects and plants which are interdependent do not always adapt to changes at the same time. In other words, changes in the environment will alter the timing and rate of interactions of insects with their food plants, competitors and natural enemies. Certain old insect-plant associations will be lost and new ones will be established, as the species respond to changes. A lack of genetic variability in the new host plants help insect species to adapt to the changing climatic conditions, involving new food plants, competitors and natural enemies. In short, climate change will influence the limiting factors as well as the favourable factors for growth.