What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to explore the impact of climate change on agricultural insect pests and propose strategies to mitigate these effects.

March 5, 2026Open Access

Ecological Shifts Under Climate Change: Understanding Pest Responses and Agricultural Vulnerability

KDKALIYAMOORTHY DASSSaveetha University RMRENGARAJAN MURUGESANRajagiri Hospital

Key Points

The study aims to explore the impact of climate change on agricultural insect pests and propose strategies to mitigate these effects.
Literature review from sources like Web of Science and Scopus
Examination of pest biology, distribution, and interaction adjustments
Analysis of climate-specific strain selection for biocontrol agents
Development of a climate-adaptive integrated pest management framework
Climate change accelerates pest development and increases crop damage
Pests are expanding their geographic ranges and increasing voltinism
Traditional pest management strategies are disrupted by phenological mismatches
Climate-specific strain selection is necessary for effective biological control
Adaptive strategies can enhance agricultural resilience to climate change.

Abstract

Climate change profoundly affects agricultural insect pests by altering their biology, distribution, and interactions within agroecosystems, threatening global food security. Rising temperatures, elevated atmospheric CO₂, and shifting precipitation patterns accelerate pest development, expand geographic ranges, and increase voltinism, intensifying crop damage. These shifts disrupt traditional pest management frameworks, as phenological mismatches among pests, host plants, and natural enemies weaken biological control. Moreover, abiotic stresses compromise the performance of biocontrol agents, such as entomopathogenic fungi, necessitating climate-specific strain selection. Adaptive integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that incorporate real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, precision agriculture technologies, and emerging tools such as CRISPR and sterile insect techniques are essential for climate-resilient agriculture. Sustainable approaches that leverage natural products and minimize reliance on chemical pesticides further support ecosystem health. This review synthesizes current knowledge on climate-driven pest dynamics, range expansions, and tritrophic disruptions based on literature searched in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar from January 2000 to November 2025 using Boolean strings. This review proposes a comprehensive climate-adaptive IPM framework to safeguard agricultural productivity amid ongoing environmental change.

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