The elements of seasonal adaptations in insects

• Published in: Canadian entomologist Vol. 139; no. 1; pp. 1 - 44
• Main Author: Danks, H. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Entomological Society of Canada 01.02.2007; Cambridge University Press; National Research Council of Canada
• Subjects: adaptation; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Entomology; environmental factors; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitats; insect ecology; insect seasonality; Insects; literature reviews; Meta-analysis; phenology; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Reviews / Synthèses; seasonal variation; Seasons; Studies; Canada; Life history; Fasting; Cold resistance; Insecta; Environmental factor; Review; Dispersion; Phenology; Drought resistance; Seasonal variation; Arthropoda; Development; Habitat; Invertebrata; Adaptation
• ISSN: 0008-347X; 1918-3240
• DOI: 10.4039/n06-048

The many components of seasonal adaptations in insects are reviewed, especially from the viewpoint of aspects that must be studied in order to understand the structure and purposes of the adaptations. Component responses include dispersal, habitat selection, habitat modification, resistance to cold, dryness, and food limitation, trade-offs, diapause, modifications of developmental rate, sensitivity to environmental signals, life-cycle patterns including multiple alternatives in one species, and types of variation in phenology and development. Spatial, temporal, and resource elements of the environment are also reviewed, as are environmental signals, supporting the conclusion that further understanding of all of these seasonal responses requires detailed simultaneous study of the natural environments that drive the patterns of response.