The discovery of insects sheds light on climate change

(biologists) - Biologists at Simon Fraser University (SFU) have discovered a new thing, the family of extinct insects will help scientists better understand how some Animal species respond to climate change and the evolution of society.

'Eocene Apex species of Panorpoid family biodiversity' , an article by Bruce Archibald and Rolf Mathewes of SFU and David Greenwood from Brandon University, recently published in the recent Paleontology magazine .

The researchers named the new insect family, Eorpidae , after the Eocene Epoch, the period when these insects lived, about 50 million years ago. The fossils are found in British Columbia and Washington state, most notably at McAbee Fossil Beds located near Cache Creek, BC.

This new insect family raises questions about their extinction. The insect families have continuously accumulated from before the Eocene period, with a number of dispersed attenuation, in addition to the special exceptions of an extinct family in a group of scorpinionflies, including the Eorpidae family.

"The Eorpidae family is one of six closely related insect family groups in the Eocene era, but today this group has fallen to two groups. Why are there differences?" Archibald said. "We believe that the answer may lie in the combination of two major challenges that could have a strong impact on them as the evolutionary diversity of a strong competitive group and global climate change."

In a large evolutionary diversity, ants have evolved from a small group to become ecologically important creatures in the Eocene century, now competing with species of scorpionflies about a source of food. Completely new and effective way.

Global climate has been warmer than 50 million years ago, related to the rise in atmospheric carbon concentrations, a relationship that scientists now recognize. Along with this, winters are less cold, even in cool areas and high in elevation compared to larger seas, where these insects have lived. The average temperature in those areas is similar to today's Vancouver, but there may be a few frost days.

As the climate outside the tropics becomes cooler, the season by temperature also expands, forming a modern pattern of icy summers and winters. Eocene's highland flora and fauna groups have either grown to tolerate colder winters, migrate to the hot tropics and adapt to that climate, or become extinct.

'These scorpionfly families seem to have retained their needs to live in cooler climates, but to survive there, they need to evolve to withstand cold winters, a feat that only the two of them survived may have done it , ' Archibald explained. 'Understanding the evolutionary history of these insects will provide more pieces to help clarify how the questioning communities have changed as the climate changes - but in this case, at a time when Global warming ends ".