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Fera hosts second Royal Entomological Society (RES) Climate Change Special Interest Group meeting

On the 21st October, Fera hosted the second Royal Entomological Society Climate Change Special Interest Group meeting.  Over 80 delegates from the UK, Europe, North America and Japan attended to hear an eclectic mix of talks on a range of entomological issues that could be affected by changing climate.

The event featured contributions from the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Universities of Reading, Birmingham and Kyoto, the Scottish Crop Research Institute, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Warwick Horticultural Research International, the British Antarctic Survey, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.     

Topics addressed included the potential rise of nuisance insects, the projected decline of many bee species, and how diapause - the mechanism used by many insects to survive unfavourable conditions - may be affected by changing conditions.  Other talks reported on how elevated CO2 may both increase and decrease the activity of root feeding pests depending on species, and how habitat specificity changes at range boundaries in butterflies.  Data was also presented indicating that warmer weather is likely to increase pest problems in UK crops.

In addition, further talks gave a fascinating overview of the problems of invasive species in the Antarctic, and explored the potential for malaria to increase in prevalence as the climate changes.  The final talk outlined the problems faced by forestry where crops need to be adapted to both the current climate and also that of the future.  

A chance to view displays of scientific posters and tour the laboratory facilities completed the day, with a return invitation for what is becoming a successful and interesting annual addition to the RES’s series of special interest group meetings.

For more info, contact: howard.bell@fera.gsi.gov.uk

 

6th November 2009

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