Advances in understanding and managing insect pests of forest trees

Publication date: 25/11/2019
Extent: 70 pages

Contributions by: Barbara Bentz, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USA; Pierluigi Bonello, The Ohio State University, USA; Horst Delb, Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Christopher Fettig, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, USA; Therese Poland, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, USA; Deepa Pureswaran, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Canada; and Steven Seybold, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, USA

Chapter synopsis: Boreal and temperate forests comprise half of all forested land globally and are a major source of timber and other ecosystem services. Disturbances caused by native and invasive insects are among the most important mediators of forest mortality. The interacting effects of climate change on insects and trees coupled with increasing arrival rates of invasive insects are creating management challenges and uncertainty. This chapter reviews information and key issues for predicting climate change effects and for managing native and invasive forest insects that are considered pests in such forests. The chapter covers recent advances in this area of research and includes (1) observed and predicted responses of forest insects to climate change; (2) genetic variability and tree resistance screening mechanisms for tree breeding programs; (3) integrated biological control strategies for directly reducing native and invasive forest insect population spread and growth; and (4) indirect tactics for maintaining forest stand conditions that reduce susceptibility to insect attack. Case studies are also included.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0057.19