Which environmental factor can directly impact pest survival rates?

Temperature is a critical environmental factor that directly impacts pest survival rates. Pests, like many organisms, have specific temperature ranges that are conducive to their growth, reproduction, and overall survival. Warmer temperatures may lead to increased metabolic rates in pests, allowing for faster reproduction and a potential surge in population size. Conversely, extremely low temperatures can be lethal or can significantly slow down pest development and survival rates.

When temperatures fluctuate, it can also affect the availability of food sources and influence the timing of pest life cycles, which can further impact their populations. Understanding temperature's role in pest ecology is essential for effective pest management strategies.

Soil type, plant species, and human activity do have an indirect effect on pest populations but do not as immediately or directly influence survival rates as temperature does. For instance, soil type can impact the habitats and the types of plants that grow, which in turn might affect pests that rely on those plants for food. Human activity can alter habitats and pest dynamics, but temperature directly influences biological processes in pests, making it a more immediate factor in survival rates.