Observed and anticipated impacts of drought on forest insects and diseases in the United States

Kolb, Thomas E.; Fettig, Christopher J.; Ayres, Matthew P.; Bentz, Barbara; Hicke, Jeffrey A.; Mathiasen, Robert L.; Stewart, Jane E.; Weed, Aaron S.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.04.051

Cited by 334 publications

(235 citation statements)

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“…Population abundance and outbreaks of bark beetles are generally related to drought, except for D. frontalis, for which the relationship with precipitation is obscure [32]. D. ponderosae outbreaks occur throughout western North America and the recent outbreak in British Columbia, Canada, was unprecedented in its scale and impact [10].…”

Section: Bark Beetles and Wood Borersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, in the hemlock wooly adelgid, Adelges tsugae, nymphs were observed 3 months ahead of their normal phenology in December 2015, the warmest recorded December in Tennessee, USA, accelerating their development [31]. Intense but not moderate drought appears to favor bark beetle performance and tree mortality, although its impact is not consistent among species [32]. Warm temperatures result in changes in physiology and accelerated development in insects [33], particularly in northern latitudes where the growing season is short.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forest Insects and Climate Change

Roques²,

2018

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Purpose of Review Climate change affects populations of forest insect pests in a number of ways. We reviewed the most recent literature (2013-2017) on this subject including previous reviews on the topic. We provide a comprehensive discussion of the subject, with special attention to insect range expansion, insect abundance, impacts on forest ecosystems, and effects on forest insect communities. We considered forest insects according to their major guilds and biomes. Recent Findings Effects of climate change on forest insects are demonstrated for a number of species and guilds, although generalizations of results available so far are difficult because of species-specific responses to climate change. In addition, disentangling direct and indirect effects of climate change is complex due to the large number of variables affected. Modeling based on climate projections is useful when combined with mechanistic explanations. Summary Expansion of either the true range or the outbreak range is observed in several model species/groups of major insect guilds in boreal and temperate biomes. Mechanistic explanations are provided for a few species and are mainly based on increase in winter temperatures. In relation to insect abundance, climate change can either promote outbreaks or disrupt trophic interactions and decrease the severity of outbreaks. There is good evidence that some recent outbreaks of bark beetles and defoliating insects are influenced by climate change and are having a large impact on ecosystems as well as on communities of forest insects.

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Section: Bark Beetles and Wood Borersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Insects and Climate Change

Roques²,

2018

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“…High within-population genetic diversity in long-lived species, including trees, is critical to buffer stochastic selective events, such as severe droughts and insect outbreaks, the frequency and intensity of which is expected to increase with climate change (51). Clearly, the evolutionary consequences of such events will depend not only on the direction and relative strength of selection and whether they trigger a net evolutionary change, but also on the size of the surviving population, which in the case of MPB outbreaks depends on the degree of mortality of adults and any regeneration/offspring that occurred before the outbreak.…”

Section: Conclusion: Implications Under Climate Change and For Managmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect outbreak shifts the direction of selection from fast to slow growth rates in the long-lived conifer Pinus ponderosa

Mata

Hood

Sala

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Long generation times limit species' rapid evolution to changing environments. Trees provide critical global ecosystem services, but are under increasing risk of mortality because of climate changemediated disturbances, such as insect outbreaks. The extent to which disturbance changes the dynamics and strength of selection is unknown, but has important implications on the evolutionary potential of tree populations. Using a 40-y-old Pinus ponderosa genetic experiment, we provide rare evidence of context-dependent fluctuating selection on growth rates over time in a long-lived species. Fast growth was selected at juvenile stages, whereas slow growth was selected at mature stages under strong herbivory caused by a mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) outbreak. Such opposing forces led to no net evolutionary response over time, thus providing a mechanism for the maintenance of genetic diversity on growth rates. Greater survival to mountain pine beetle attack in slow-growing families reflected, in part, a host-based life-history trade-off. Contrary to expectations, genetic effects on tree survival were greatest at the peak of the outbreak and pointed to complex defense responses. Our results suggest that selection forces in tree populations may be more relevant than previously thought, and have implications for tree population responses to future environments and for tree breeding programs.fluctuating selection | growth-survival trade-offs | selection response | Pinus ponderosa | Dendroctonus ponderosae U nderstanding the dynamics of selection over time is fundamental for understanding life-history evolution (1) and predicting evolutionary change under climate change (2, 3). To date, such understanding is based almost exclusively on data for relatively short-lived species (4, 5), but virtually nonexistent for long-lived organisms, such as trees (ref. 6; but see ref. 7). Trees and forests provide critical ecological and commercial services, including impacts on global carbon cycles, species diversity, water quality, and climate regulation (8). Recent forest mortality (9, 10) highlights the importance of understanding how climate change and climate change-driven disturbances may impact forests (11,12). Trees may live for hundreds of years and experience varying selection pressures associated with fluctuating climate (13), disturbance regimes (14), and biotic interactions (15), all of which may be magnified under climate change. The extent to which these events may change the strength and direction of selection and contribute to the maintenance of genetic diversity and evolutionary potential is unknown. Of special relevance are insect outbreaks, a biotic interaction expected to increase with climate change (16) but unaccounted for in models to predict the evolutionary potential of tree populations (17, 18).Mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is a native, irruptive forest insect in western North America that uses numerous Pinus species as hosts. Via pheromone-mediated mass attacks that o...

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“…Although drought stress reduces elm growth and survival, drought can increase or decrease elm resistance to Ophiostoma spp. as a result of alterations in both the plant and the pathogen (Kolb et al 2016). The net outcome depends on the timing, intensity and duration of drought.…”

Section: Is Sufficient Knowledge Of Elm Ecology Available To Initiatementioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding and scientific advances in the fight against Dutch elm disease: Will they allow the use of elms in forest restoration?

et al. 2018

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Elms (Ulmus spp.) were once dominant trees in mixed broadleaf forests of many European territories, mainly distributed near rivers and streams or on floodplains. Since ancient times they have provided important services to humans, and several selected genotypes have been massively propagated and planted. Today elm populations are severely degraded due to the negative impact of human-induced changes in riparian ecosystems and the emergence of the highly aggressive Dutch elm disease pathogens. Despite the death of most large elm specimens, there is no evidence of genetic diversity loss in elm populations, probably due to their ability to resprout after disease. The recovery of elm populations from the remaining diversity should build from genomic tools that facilitate achievement of resistant elm clones. Research works to date have discerned the genetic diversity of elms and are well on the way to deciphering the genetic clues of elm resistance and pathogen virulence, key findings for addressing recovery of elm populations. Several tolerant clones suitable for use in urban and landscape planting have been obtained through traditional species hybridization with Asian elms, and various native clones have been selected and used in pilot forest restoration projects. Successful reintroduction of elms should also rely on a deeper understanding of elm ecology, in particular their resilience to abiotic and biotic disturbances. However, all these efforts would be in vain without the final acceptance of elm reintroduction by the social actors involved, making it necessary to evaluate and publicize the ecosystem services elms can provide for today's society.

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Observed and anticipated impacts of drought on forest insects and diseases in the United States

Cited by 334 publications

References 187 publications

Forest Insects and Climate Change

Forest Insects and Climate Change

Insect outbreak shifts the direction of selection from fast to slow growth rates in the long-lived conifer Pinus ponderosa

Breeding and scientific advances in the fight against Dutch elm disease: Will they allow the use of elms in forest restoration?

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