Changes in hydrology, too much water, but especially too little moisture, represent ominous, proximate threats to the world’s insect fauna, as well as the plants upon which more than 50% of all insects feed. In aridlands and elsewhere, water stress has been identified as a primary driver of rapid insect population declines. In addition to direct losses through desiccation, droughts have detrimental knock-on effects that trigger further losses. While increased fire risk may be the most obvious of these, many other knock-on effects are driving declines: e.g., the lowering of water tables, diminished snowpack, changed soil hydrology, the collapse of soil microfaunas, diminishment of nectar resources, and the lowering of hostplant fitness over times of water stress.
.png)
