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Forest insect populations are influenced by environmental conditions such as climate change. In some cases, larger and more frequent insect outbreaks may occur, but in other cases recurring outbreaks may be disrupted or diminished. Shifts in temperatures can directly influence insects, as well as reduced host tree resistance caused by changes in precipitation can contribute to forest insect population growth. Rising CO2 can have important effects on insect pest problems. Recently, free air gas concentration enrichment (FACE) technology was used to create an atmosphere with CO2 and O2 concentrations similar to what climate change models predict for the middle of the 21st century. FACE allows for field testing of crop situations with fewer limitations than those conducted in enclosed spaces. During the early season, soybeans grown in elevated CO2 atmosphere had 57% more damage from insects than those grown in today’s atmosphere, and required an insecticide treatment in order to continue the experiment. Researchers have observed that insects sometimes feed more on leaves that have a lowered nitrogen content in order to obtain sufficient nitrogen for their metabolism. Increased carbon to nitrogen ratios in plant tissue resulting from increased CO2 levels may slow insect development.

Insects’ biodiversity is indirectly affected by the water quality too. Many of the rivers and streams have been dammed, had water pumped out, been diverted and waste discharged into them. Some of the rivers have been drained and cleared for agriculture, forestry, and urban development. This all leads to an increase amount of run off entering river and streams which affect water quality. Sewage discharges from town sewage treatment plants (STPs) or household septic tanks can cause diseases. Runoff from roads, roofs, areas popular for dog-walking to be the biggest water quality issues. From domestic households these include washings of cement, vehicles, paint, petroleum products and pesticides. Stream life can also be adversely affected by the altered flow regime in streams due to the high percentage of impervious surface in urban catchments. This causes increased bed and bank disturbance during and after rain, and reduced flows in dry periods.

10 Sources:
“What Affects River Water Quality and Stream Health.” Tasman District Council. Web. 4 Dec. 2017.

Cannon, R.J. 1998. The implications of predicted climate change for insect pests in the UK, with emphasis on non-indigenous species. 4:785-796.

Wallin,J.R. and P.E. Waggoner. 1950. The influence of climate on the development and spread of Phytophthora infestans in artificially inoculated potato plots. Plant Dis. Reptr. Suppl. 190. pp 19-33.

Petzoldt , Curtis . “Climate Change Effects on Insects and Pathogens .” Climate Change and Agriculture.

Shaw, J.D.; Steed, B.E.; DeBlander, L.T. 2005. Forest inventory and analysis (FIA) annual inventory answers the question: what is happening to piñon-juniper woodlands? Journal of Forestry. 103:280-285.

Safranyik, L.; Carroll, A.L.; Regniere, J.; Langor, D.W.; Riel, W.G.; Shore, T.L.; Peter, B.; Cooke, B.J.; Nealis, V.G.; Taylor, S.W. 2010. Potential for range expansion of mountain pine beetle into the boreal forest of North America. Canadian Entomologist 142:415-442.

Fettig, C.J.; Klepzig, K.D.; Billings, R.F.; Munson, A.S.; Nebeker, T.E.; Negron, J.F.; Nowak, J.T. 2007. The effectiveness of vegetation management practices for prevention and control of bark beetle infestations in coniferous forests of the western and southern United States. Forest Ecology and Management. 238: 24-53.

Bentz, B.J.; Regniere, J.; Fettig, C.J.; Hansen, E.M.; Hicke, J.; Hayes, J.L.; Kelsey, R.; Negron, J.; Seybold, S. 2010. Climate change and bark beetles of the western US and Canada: Direct and indirect effects.BioScience. 60(8):602-613.

Raffa, K.F.; Aukema, B.H.; Bentz, B.J.; Carroll, A.L.; Hicke, J.A.; Turner, M.G.; Romme, W.H. 2008. Cross-scale drivers of natural disturbances prone to anthropogenic amplification: Dynamics of biome-wide bark beetle eruptions. BioScience. 58: 501-518

“Insect Disturbance and Climate Change.” Insect Disturbance and Climate Change | Climate Change Resource Center.

Research project involving Bowling Green State University biologist Dr. Shannon Pelini tested the forest ant communities’ tolerance towards climate change. The team put heaters around the forest floor and warmed the ant communities to see what would happen. In warmer chambers, there was more occupancy of heat-loving ants. Typically, ant colonies are constantly competing with each other for prime nest habitat, which promotes resilience to environmental changes within the community. When one ant species, like the heat-lovers, remains in a nest for a long time, there is less resilience in the community and so it is more likely to fall apart following a disturbance event. The research performed by Sanders and his colleges in North Carolina also suggest that if the temperature increases by just a half a degree Celsius, the most important seed-dispersing ants basically shut down,” said Sanders. “They do not go out and forage and do the things they normally do.” The absence of ants’ seed dispersal and nutrient cycling could have profound influence on biodiversity.

source:
“UT Study: Climate Change Affects Ants and Biodiversity.” Tennessee Today, 14 Nov. 2011.

Pelini, Shannon. “Biologist's ant research provides long-Term look at effects of climate change.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 30 Dec. 2016.

Honey bees are going extinct because of excessive use of pesticides in crops, diseases and climate change. Extinction of bees could potentially means end of humanity because out of the 100 crop species that provide us with 90% of our food, 70% are pollinated by bees. Bees are the primary initiators of reproduction among plants, as they transfer pollen from the male stamens to the female pistils. For the first time in history, United State is declaring bee as endangered species. Bee’s population had declined by 87 percent starting 1990s. Humble bee is just one of the many bees that are endangered and spreading this news is the first step towards taking action to save bees. Pollinators are small but they are important part of the natural mechanism to sustain out world. Without them, parks and forests can’t survive and the crops would require costly pollination by hand.

Source:
“Astronaut's photos from space show California wildfires' vast scale.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group.

Each butterfly species has its own habitat requirements. These are determined by the food plant of the caterpillar, the nectar source for the adult butterfly and the conditions needed for the caterpillar to survive and then pupate successfully. Some butterflies are happy to live and feed from several plants and can breed in a variety of places, including gardens and parks. Others are more fussy and have very specific requirements. Habitat specialist butterflies and moths can disappear rapidly if the environment they rely on changes. Habitat loss is the main cause of the decline of butterflies and moths. Land management techniques such as the intensification of farming and forestry, industrial development of buildings and roads and climate change all have an impact. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service disclosed recently that from the year 1990, around a billion Monarch butterflies “king of butterflies” have vanished. The use of weed-resistant material and herbicides, is continuing to ruin and their original habitat, and may well be the main reason leading to the consistent extinction of the Monarchs. The use of such harmful chemicals led to the destruction of milkweed plants, the only plant on which the Monarch caterpillars feed on.

source:
“Monarch-Butterfly.com.” Why Are Monarch Butterflies Vanishing?

California drought makes an ideal living situation for bark beetles. These insects infestations dry out the trees further and create forests that can light up easily. The fire damage more trees and attract more beetles. The dry out trees combined with low humidity and parched vegetation create a dangerous combination for fire to start. Although bark beetles are normal in California, their activity is typically limited and goes unnoticed until forest fire happens. Trees’ natural defense against the tiny brown insects is their sticky resin. Experts say that water in properly hydrated trees pushes resin out of the tree’s surface, deflecting beetles that don’t want to get caught in it. A dried up tree, however, can’t produce additional resin to protect it from beetles. In the San Bernardino forest, bark beetle infestations were considered a factor in deadly fires in 2003.

source:
Karlamangla, Soumya. “Meet the insect that helped fuel Northern California's Valley fire destruction.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sept. 2015, www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bark-beetles-valley-fire-20150914-story.html.