October 5, 2012

Why We Need Insects--Even "Pesky" Ones




Hard evidence of evolution: a five-year study shows that plants may quickly lose important traits through evolution soon after insects are removed from the environment

At first blush, many people would probably love to get rid of insects, such as pesky mosquitoes, ants and roaches. But a new study indicates that getting rid of insects could trigger some unwelcome ecological consequences, such as the rapid loss of desired traits in plants, including their good taste and high yields.