Impact of climate change on insect biology, ecology, population dynamics, and pest management: A critical review

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review and assess published literature on impact of climate change on insects. A systematic approach was used to accumulate research works of literature on “Impact of climate change on insects.” A total of forty-three (43) research papers published between the years 1908 to 2023 were accumulated and used for this review. Tables were used to present all results. A subjective approach was used to select the topics: impact of climate change and insects. In this paper, twenty-three (23) possible impacts of climate change on insects were evaluated and presented. Impact of extreme weather conditions on insects, challenges faced with pest management and strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change were also discussed. The published papers established that temperature, increasing level of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in the atmosphere and precipitation all contribute to the changing climate that are affecting insect biodiversity, geographical distribution, behavioural preferences and pests’ outbreaks that are negatively impacting the agriculture sectors in many countries. This review highlights that more studies should be done in neotropical countries since there is a dearth and demand for research and published data in these biodiversity rich regions.