How do higher temperatures affect insect populations?

Higher temperatures generally lead to increased growth rates in insect populations. Insects are ectothermic organisms, meaning their body temperature is largely determined by their environmental temperature. Warmer conditions can accelerate metabolic processes, resulting in faster development from egg to adult. Additionally, higher temperatures can enhance reproductive success by allowing insects to reproduce more frequently within a season.

While some extreme temperature conditions may lead to negative effects such as heat stress, in many cases, a moderate rise in temperature promotes optimal growth conditions for many insect species. This phenomenon can contribute to population increases, as more generations can be produced within a given time frame, leading to potential outbreaks if other environmental factors (like food availability and predation) are favorable.

Higher temperatures can also impact dormancy, but instead of inducing dormancy, they often have the opposite effect by promoting more active life stages. While food source limitations may occur due to environmental stressors such as drought or changes in plant behavior, these do not directly relate to temperature effects on growth rates. Hence, the correct answer reflects the general trend observed in the relationship between temperature and insect populations.