Article
Forestry
Jackson P. Audley, Christopher J. Fettig, A. Steven Munson, Justin B. Runyon, Leif A. Mortenson, Brytten E. Steed, Kenneth E. Gibson, Carl L. Jorgensen, Stephen R. McKelvey, Joel D. McMillin, Jose F. Negron
Summary: The study identified factors influencing the fall rates of lodgepole pines killed by bark beetles, with slope aspect having the strongest influence. Northern aspects, increased canopy cover, and taller snag heights decreased the probability of snag fall, while southern aspects and increased height:dbh ratios increased the probability. The predicted half-life for snag fall was around 16 years since death, with a gradual decline in snag survival probability beyond that point.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Ecology
D. C. Romualdi, S. L. Wilkinson, P. M. A. James
Summary: This meta-analysis aims to summarize available evidence regarding mountain pine beetle (MPB) and wildfire interactions, and identify environmental and methodological indicators associated with various wildfire responses. The study found that spatial scale, forest fuels, and weather are the main drivers of variation in wildfire response post-outbreak. These findings are crucial for wildfire and forest management agencies, especially in forests newly exposed to this disturbance interaction.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Andrew Schwartz, Hamish McGowan, Nik Callow
Summary: Forests play a crucial role in modulating energy fluxes, snow accumulation, and water resources. Warmer climates and wildfires can have negative impacts on forests and snowpacks.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jianning Ren, Jennifer C. Adam, Jeffrey A. Hicke, Erin J. Hanan, Christina L. Tague, Mingliang Liu, Crystal A. Kolden, John T. Abatzoglou
Summary: The study reveals that the impact of mountain pine beetle outbreaks on water yield in watersheds is influenced by various factors, resulting in significant spatial and temporal variations. During wet years, water yield tends to increase with higher tree mortality rates, while in dry years, water yield decreases at lower to medium mortality rates but increases at high mortality rates.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Victor J. Lieffers, Julie Benedik, Ken Stadt, S. Ellen Macdonald
Summary: The expansion of mountain pine beetle into northern boreal pine forests in Alberta, Canada has caused dramatic changes in tree regeneration conditions. A study showed that pine regeneration was very poor after 6-9 years, primarily due to high levels of cone serotiny, unsuitable regeneration microsites, and competition from other vegetation. Without intervention, many of these stands will likely transition away from pine to other species.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Zach M. Smith, Kevin D. Chase, Etsuro Takagi, Aubree M. Kees, Brian H. Aukema
Summary: The study found that using ipsenol, an aggregation pheromone of Ips grandicollis, on jack pine logs can attract more Ips grandicollis compared to logs baited with pheromones of mountain pine beetle and host volatiles. The presence of lures for mountain pine beetle inhibits colonization by Ips grandicollis, while longhorn borers are more attracted to logs baited with ipsenol. These results suggest that common bark and woodboring species like Ips grandicollis and longhorn borers may not compete with mountain pine beetles at tree-colonizing stages, posing little resistance to invasion if mountain pine beetle were to invade the Great Lakes Region.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Janet X. Li, Kleinberg X. Fernandez, Carol Ritland, Sharon Jancsik, Daniel B. Engelhardt, Lauren Coombe, Rene L. Warren, Marco J. van Belkum, Allan L. Carroll, John C. Vederas, Joerg Bohlmann, Inanc Birol
Summary: This study investigates the genetic and phenotypic variation among different strains of Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus used for biological control of insect pests like the mountain pine beetle. The research identifies genes associated with virulence, mycotoxin synthesis, membrane transport, and transcription factors in more virulent strains. Differential expression of genes related to virulence, transmembrane transport, and stress response is observed, as well as upregulation of genes involved in oosporein biosynthesis. The findings provide a foundation for selecting or engineering the most effective B. bassiana strain for controlling insect pest populations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Max Gersh, Kelly E. Gleason, Anton Surunis
Summary: Following a forest fire, the surface snow albedo darkens while the landscape snow albedo brightens. The duration and variability of post-fire snow albedo recovery remain unknown. A study found that the annual landscape snow albedo increased continuously over 18 years following a fire, with the rate of increase varying depending on burn severity. The post-fire snow albedo recovery resembled open meadows rather than pre-fire unburned forests.
Article
Ecology
Vivek Srivastava, Allan L. Carroll
Summary: Efforts to minimize impacts of highly mobile insect pests in a warming environment are complicated by the dynamicity and uncertainty of their distributions. Tools that aid such management efforts are urgently required for successful outcomes. We modified the traditional static species distribution model (SDM) framework to incorporate dynamic biotic and abiotic predictors and found that dynamic SDMs provided more accurate predictions of the potential distribution of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) compared to static SDMs. The DSDM framework can help researchers understand the distributional dynamics of mobile species in climatically variable regions.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Quresh S. Latif, Jonathan G. Dudley, Matthew A. Dresser, Denise Pengeroth, Victoria A. Saab
Summary: This study found that snags formed after trees were infested by bark beetles can persist for a relatively long time, providing nesting and foraging opportunities for woodpeckers and other wildlife. The persistence of snags is influenced by environmental factors such as diameter at breast height, age, broken-top condition, topography, and tree density. This research is important for helping forest managers identify snags that are most likely to persist and provide extended habitat value for woodpeckers.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hua Qin, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Christine Sanders, Jamie Vickery, Martha Bass
Summary: Longitudinal studies of risk perception are a growing but understudied area of research, with natural resource-based communities providing an important backdrop for analyzing dynamic risk perceptions. The case study of the mountain pine beetle outbreak in Colorado shows changes in wildfire risk perception over time, influenced by various factors. Evolving wildfire risk perception is strongly associated with explanatory variables and personal characteristics, with different factors influencing changes across cognitive and affective dimensions.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Paul J. Chisholm, Camille S. Stevens-Rumann, Thomas Seth Davis
Summary: In temperate coniferous forests, the probability of tree mortality during bark beetle outbreaks is influenced by factors such as tree diameter, stand density, and elevation. The study found that mortality rates were lower in trees with higher live crown ratios, and rose with increasing tree diameter, stand basal area, and elevation. The association between elevation and mortality risk was buffered by precipitation, with dry high-elevation stands experiencing more mortality than moist high-elevation stands. Tree diameter, crown ratio, and stand density affected tree mortality independent of precipitation.
Article
Forestry
Yujie Liu, Zhongyi Zhan, Lili Ren, Sangzi Ze, Linfeng Yu, Qi Jiang, Youqing Luo
Summary: The study investigated the impact of Pine shoot beetle (PSB) outbreaks on Yunnan pine mortality in southwestern China. By using manipulated insect infestation experiments, suitable monitoring indicators were identified to help detect PSB attacks early. The study found that spectral data and models could accurately identify different levels of damage, and models like PLSR and RF were effective in estimating crown chlorophyll(a+b), relative water content, and crown shoot damage ratios. The research provides insight into the physiological and spectral signatures of early PSB attacks on crowns, offering useful tools for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and satellite remote sensing to detect PSB infestation at the early stages.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Curtis A. Gray, Chelsea Toone, Michael J. Jenkins, Sarah E. Null, Larissa L. Yocom
Summary: Mountain pine beetle outbreaks cause significant changes in fine surface fuels and foliar fuel moisture in whitebark pine trees, leading to differences in fuel depth and moisture content among trees with different crown conditions. The hazard of fuel availability varies across the landscape following beetle attacks.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Benjamin A. Jones
Summary: The mountain pine beetle destroys millions of coniferous trees annually, leading to forest air pollution and impacting human health. Research shows that MPB-induced tree mortality results in additional deaths, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions per year, with high health costs associated with PM2.5 impact.