Effects of Climate Change on the Biodiversity of Family Acrididae (Orthoptera) in District Matiari, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the most significant environmental challenges affecting insect biodiversity across the world. Grasshoppers of the family Acrididae are ecologically and economically important insects whose populations are strongly influenced by temperature, rainfall, humidity, and habitat changes. The present study investigated the biodiversity, abundance, and distribution of Acrididae species in District Matiari, Sindh, Pakistan, during 2022–2023. A total of 1,436 specimens were collected from agricultural and semi-agricultural habitats using insect nets and random sampling techniques. The collected specimens belonged to 12 species distributed among different subfamilies of Acrididae. The highest abundance was recorded for Oxya hyla hyla (13.07%), while Anacridium rubrispinum showed the lowest occurrence (5.0%). Climatic variables such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity significantly influenced species richness and seasonal occurrence. The study demonstrates that climate variability, especially extreme rainfall and temperature fluctuations, affects grasshopper biodiversity, distribution, and population dynamics in Matiari. The findings contribute to understanding the ecological responses of grasshoppers to climate change and provide baseline information for biodiversity conservation and pest management strategies in Sindh, Pakistan.