The insect response to climate change: Perspectives from the Quaternary record

Conference · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5011282

Ashworth, A C; Schwert, D P ^[1]

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1. North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND (United States). Quaternary Entomology Lab.

Data based on museum collections of insects are generally inadequate to answer questions related to the response of insects to recent and potential changes in climate. The most important source of information for this purpose is the late Quaternary fossil record. Abundant, well-preserved, [sup 14]C-dated assemblages of insect fossils provide information with which to answer the following questions: (1) will climate change result in speciation--all evidence suggests that species are constant through the climate changes of the late Quaternary, future climate change would not be expected to result in accelerated rates of speciation; (2) will climate change result in extinction--few species became extinct as a result of the large-scale changes in climate and physical environment during the quaternary, although large-scale extirpation might occur, future climate change would not be expected to result in widespread extinction of species; (3) will climate change result in changes in geographic distribution--species survived late Quaternary climatic change through the ability of individuals to disperse into suitable habitats. The result was large changes in geographic distribution of species, as exemplified by the succession of faunal changes that occurred in response to the climatic changes of the late Wisconsinan in the midcontinent, future climate change would be expected to result in significant range changes of species.

• OSTI ID: 5011282
• Report Number(s): CONF-9303210-; CODEN: GAAPBC
• Journal Information: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:3; Conference: 27. annual Geological Society of America (GSA) North-Central Section meeting, Rolla, MO (United States), 29-30 Mar 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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