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Aging and Environmental Conditions in Insects

  • Chapter
Aging of Organisms

Part of the book series: Biology of Aging and its Modulation ((BIMO,volume 4))

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Abstract

When we speak of insects as model systems for aging studies we first have to recognize that the number of insect species taken as model system up to now is remarkably low. In spite of the existence of about 1.2 million insect species not more than about 50 species were listed for their mean life-span in the classical report of Rockstein on insect aging in the seventies [1]. The situation does not have fundamentally changed since that time. A summary of the range of life-spans in adult insects for the major orders of Insecta together with arachnids was given as graph in a recent review on insect biodemography [2]. Longevity data in this table reach from several days in mayflies to decades in queen termites. In comparison with the 60-fold difference in the life-span of mammals adult insect’s life-span differences are much more pronounced reaching an up to 5000-fold difference. Carey however emphasized how difficult it is to speak on life-span in general and particular on life-span in insects. In contrast to life expectancy and age specific mortality which are explicit measurable values “life-span’’ is weakly defined as time after which no member of a given species can survive even under the most favorable conditions. “Maximum life-span potential” is another description. It is reasonable therefore that maximum life-span determination depends on the number of individuals under determination being higher when large numbers are observed. On the other hand longevity data obtained under laboratory conditions may have nothing to do with the same data recorded under free living conditions. The problem in general is further strengthened when maximum life-spans of ectothermic organisms as insects have to determined. Insects are extremely sensitive against abiotic factors like temperature, humidity or light regime. It is therefore meaningless — as Carey pointed out — “to consider life-span for any species without considering environmental, ecological and evolutionary contexts.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biologie I (Zoologie) der Universität, Haupstr. 1, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Klaus-Günter Collatz

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  1. Klaus-Günter Collatz
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  1. J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany

    Heinz D. Osiewacz

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Collatz, KG. (2003). Aging and Environmental Conditions in Insects. In: Osiewacz, H.D. (eds) Aging of Organisms. Biology of Aging and its Modulation, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0671-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0671-1_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6332-8

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