This research investigates how rising global temperatures threaten tropical insects by examining their thermal tolerance across elevational gradients in Africa and South America. By analyzing approximately 2,300 species, the authors demonstrate that insects in warm lowlands possess minimal physiological flexibility and are already living near their maximum heat limits. The study highlights a significant correlation between an insect's evolutionary lineage and its heat resistance, which is fundamentally tied to the stability of its proteins. Projections suggest that future climate scenarios could push temperatures beyond these biological thresholds, potentially causing widespread heat-induced mortality in the world’s most biodiverse regions. Ultimately, the findings emphasize that intact rainforests and habitat connectivity are vital to providing the thermal refugia necessary for insect survival.

References:

• Holzmann K L, Schmitzer T, Abels A, et al. Limited thermal tolerance in tropical insects and its genomic signature[J]. Nature, 2026: 1-7.