Effect of Temperature on Moth Abundance and Diversity

• Jack Slade

  Juniata College

  Author

• Xandra Thompson

  Juniata College

  Author

Moths comprise the majority of the order Lepidoptera and as a group are ecologically significant because they are pollinators for a variety of plants. Moths are sensitive to changes in temperature, and these changes can have many different effects depending on the species. Higher temperatures are documented to increase moth species diversity and abundance. This study looks at the presence of moths on a central Pennsylvanian college campus and whether it varies by temperature. We hypothesized that moth abundance and diversity would increase with temperature. We light sheeted at 54 ̊ F and 76 ̊ F and found much higher numbers of moths at the higher temperature. The implications of this may be important in the face of the growing climate crisis.

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