Evolution of thermal traits in insects: a comparative-ecological approach

Temperature is a key environmental factor for ectothermic organisms. The reactions of organisms to ambient temperatures are described by thermal traits (TTs; e.g. minimal suitable temperature). Understanding the evolution of TTs is crucial for predicting the responses of the living world to climate change. Here we propose research on the evolution of TTs in insects in a comparative framework, relying on recent advances in revealing phylogenetic relationships. We perform meta-analyses of realised rates of evolution based on published case studies. We will extract data on species’ thermal niches from distribution patterns of insects, with the primary aim to assess phylogenetic signal in respective TTs. For the same purpose, we will collect empirical data on TTs for hundreds of moth species. We predict that the rates of evolution of TTs are low, so that evolutionary responses are unable to substantially mitigate the effects of climate change on insect populations.