The Abiotic Environment

Abstract

The development and reproduction of insects are greatly influenced by a variety of abiotic factors. These factors may exert their effects on insects either directly or indirectly (through their effects on other organisms) and in the short or long term (light, for example, may exert an immediate effect on the orientation of an insect as it searches for food, and may induce changes in an insect’s physiology in anticipation of adverse conditions some months in the future). Another abiotic factor to which insects are now routinely subjected (deliberately or otherwise) are pesticides. Apart from the obvious effect of lethal doses of such chemicals, pesticides may have more subtle, indirect effects on the distribution and abundance of species, for example, alteration of predator—prey ratios and, in sublethal doses, changes in fecundity or rates of development.