Electronic City, Bangalore
by Geetha GT – In the PLOS ONE article “Urban warming derives insect pest abundance on street trees”, the authors suggest that there may be more pests in cities than in rural areas because cities tend to be hotter. But I would like to add along with warming effect, air pollution also plays an important role. Are polluted areas and warm environments favorable for pests? And why are there no pollinators or predators that feed on pests? Is pollution and heat bad for pollinators and predators? Or can pollution and heat cause the pests to have more offspring? Or are these pests are adapted to live in a polluted environment? Still with no appropriate answer.. all these important questions need to be answered. According to preliminary results from our lab, air pollution is having big effect on insects in general (bad for pollinators and predators but good for aphids, and hoppers!). But WHY do certain insects do well in polluted areas??
NICE 