Leaf-Eating Insects (i.e. Locusts, Etc.) Likely To Surge In Numbers As Atmospheric CO2 Increases

[hatrack]

Food crops could be ravaged this century by an explosion in the numbers of insect pests caused by rising global temperatures, according to scientists who have carried out an exhaustive survey of plant damage when the earth last experienced major climate change.

Researchers found that the numbers of leaf-eating insects are likely to surge as a result of rising levels of CO2, at a time when crop production will have to be boosted to feed an extra three billion people living at the end of 21st century.

Scientists found that, during one of the last great episodes of global warming 55.8 million years ago, there was a significant increase in both the amount of damage caused by leaf-eating insects and the variety of injuries they inflicted on plants. They believe that the 5C rise in global temperatures caused by a tripling of CO2 levels during the palaeocene-eocene thermal maximum (PETM) period sent insect numbers soaring and left an indelible impression on the fossilised leaves preserved since that time.

The percentage of leaves that suffered extensive insect damage rose dramatically during the PETM as foraging became more intensive. The researchers warned that the same effect might be seen during the present period of global warming caused by man-made emissions of CO2, which could double the pre-industrial concentration of the gas by the end of the century.

EDIT

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/insect-explosion-a-threat-to-food-crops-781016.html

[cloudythescribbler]

1. Again, authentic progressives must demand NEGATIVE GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS GLOBALLY WELL BEFORE 2050

Norway has set the goal of ZERO net emissions by 2030 and we need GLOBALLY to go substantively FURTHER than that.