Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak Dynamics in High Elevation Forests: Influence of Climate Change and Tree Chemistry
Event Website
http://www.nafew2009.org/
Start Date
6-22-2009 11:10 AM
End Date
6-22-2009 11:30 AM
Description
Many species within Pinus are considered suitable hosts for mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosa). Largescale mountain pine beetle outbreaks are most often associated with a just a few Pinus species, possibly due to their distribution and thermal habitat. For example, lodgepole pine (P. contorta) grows as relatively contiguous homogenous forests at lower elevations across the western U.S. and Canada. As a consequence, the majority of mountain pine beetle outbreaks the past century have been observed in this species. Conversely, the unsuitable thermal habitat of high elevation white pine forests has hampered mountain pine beetle outbreaks the past century, except during periods of warming (such as the early 1930ís). Mountain pine beetle activity in high elevation white pine forests has increased dramatically within the past decade. Our recent research suggests that temperature-dependent shifts in mountain pine beetle voltinism have influenced population success and resultant tree mortality in high elevation forests. Differences in tree chemistry between lodgepole pine and whitebark pine (P. albicaulis) may also play a role in mountain pine beetle outbreak dynamics.
Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak Dynamics in High Elevation Forests: Influence of Climate Change and Tree Chemistry
Many species within Pinus are considered suitable hosts for mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosa). Largescale mountain pine beetle outbreaks are most often associated with a just a few Pinus species, possibly due to their distribution and thermal habitat. For example, lodgepole pine (P. contorta) grows as relatively contiguous homogenous forests at lower elevations across the western U.S. and Canada. As a consequence, the majority of mountain pine beetle outbreaks the past century have been observed in this species. Conversely, the unsuitable thermal habitat of high elevation white pine forests has hampered mountain pine beetle outbreaks the past century, except during periods of warming (such as the early 1930ís). Mountain pine beetle activity in high elevation white pine forests has increased dramatically within the past decade. Our recent research suggests that temperature-dependent shifts in mountain pine beetle voltinism have influenced population success and resultant tree mortality in high elevation forests. Differences in tree chemistry between lodgepole pine and whitebark pine (P. albicaulis) may also play a role in mountain pine beetle outbreak dynamics.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/whitebark/10