Climate Change And The Effect Of Temperature On Forest Insect Pests

Insects, being poikilothermic, are among the organisms that are most likely to respond to changes in climate, particularly increased temperatures. Range expansions into new areas, further north and to higher elevations, are already well documented, as are physiological and phenological responses. It is anticipated that the damage by insects will increase as a consequence of climate change, i.e. increasing temperatures primarily. However, the evidence in support of this common “belief” is sparse. Climate Change and Insect Pests sums up present knowledge regarding both agricultural and forest insect pests and climate change in order to identify future research directions.

Insects and other biotic agents are a major source of forest disturbance in eastern North America, with the potential for widespread ecological, economic, and social consequences. Mitigating effects of pest outbreaks requires knowledge of the factors that regulate their populations, and for insects and other ectotherms, temperature is one of the most important of these factors. Here, we tested a number of hypotheses focusing on the effects of different temperature regimes on population level processes. For each chapter we used the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), one of the most destructive forest insect pests, as a model species. This insect has undergone important changes in population abundance at both the northern and southern extremes of their distribution. We first investigated the influence of cold temperatures, which have become increasingly important as populations expand northward. We specifically examined the influence of overwintering temperatures on the population life stage structure. We hypothesized that colder temperatures could lead to a convergence of the life stage structure, and this could subsequently produce a high level of synchrony in their flight phenology the following spring. Results from a series of experimental tests, as well as theoretical explorations using development rate models supported this hypothesis; however, field observations were mixed. The second set of hypotheses focused on the effects of high temperature exposure on southern pine beetle populations. As climate change alters global surface temperatures, the occurrence of heat waves are predicted to increase. We analyzed longterm (74 years) temperature records to characterize high temperatures events in the southern pine region. This information was paired with a series of experimental tests of high temperature tolerance in the southern pine beetle, to determine how extreme high temperatures may be impacting southern populations. We experimentally tested both acute and chronic high temperature exposure in northern and southern populations of the beetle. Results from the climate analysis showed no significant change in yearly maximum temperatures throughout the southern pine region, and model results indicated that the characteristics of both common and rare heat waves had not changed over the 74 year study period. Experimental tests of high temperature exposure in southern pine beetle larvae showed a greater than expected tolerance to thermal extremes, and these results were consistent in both northern and southern populations. Overall, we conclude that high temperatures do not explain recent changes in southern pine beetle populations in their historic southern habitat.

Because of its peculiar biology, its negative impacts on forestry, and its urticating larvae affecting human and animal health, pine processionary moth has largely been studied in many European countries during the last century. However, knowledge remained scattered and no synthesis has ever been published. Since the IPCC retained the moth as one of the two insect indicators of climate change because of its expansion with warming up, filling this gap became increasingly important. Led by INRA, this book associates 101 authors from 22 countries of Europe, Minor Asia and North Africa, combining all the concerned research fields (entomology, ecology, genetics, mathematical modelling, medical and veterinary science, pest management) in a multidisciplinary approach to understand and model the processes underlying past, present and future moth expansion and to propose adapted management methods. Besides, the major biological patterns of the related processionary species are also detailed.

This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

This book covers the full breadth of forest entomology. It combines the work of forest entomologists working on the impact and management of forest pests with those involved in diversity assessment and conservation of insects in forests. Forests and Insects demonstrates that both these disciplines demand an understanding of population and community biology. The book covers such topics as colonization of trees by insects, population dynamics of forest insects, insect natural enemies, the effects of climate change and pollution on forest pests, spatial variation in the abundance of insects,the mineralization of carbon by termites, the impact of herbivorous insects, and the conservation of forest insect diversity, including the effects of forest fragmentation and deforestation. This Royal Entomological Society Symposium volume will be of great interest to all agricultural and forest entomologists, population and community biologists, pest management specialists and anyone concerned with the conservation of forest biodiversity.

Originally published in 1990, this book analysed the sensitivity of the world food system and looked at the variety of ways in which it would be affected by climate change. It describes the effects of climate change on agriculture, estimates the impacts on plant and animal growth and looks at the geographical limits to different types of farming. It also considers the range of possible ways to adapt agriculture and so to mitigate the disastrous consequences of climate change.

In recent years the field of entomology, due in part to the penetration of other disciplines, has made rapid progress. “Recent Advances in Entomological Research: From Molecular Biology to Pest Management” includes 25 chapters contributed by more than 40 distinguished entomologists and introduces the latest progress in entomology, from molecular biology, insect-plant interactions and insecticide toxicology, to emerging technologies in pest management. Not only is the book interesting and informative, but it provides useful, innovative research advances and will serve as a valuable resource for entomologists, zoologists, botanists and other researchers in the field of plant protection. Tong-Xian Liu is a professor of entomology at the College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, China. Le Kang is a professor of entomology at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.

This study warns that climate change may increase the risk of pests being introduced to new areas. It recommends conducting pest risk analyses and strengthening international cooperation as preventive measures to protect plant health.

Pine forests face a global threat of pine wilt disease, which is being spread by vector beetles carrying pathogenic nematodes from dead trees to healthy ones. Among the host pines there are varying degrees of susceptibility, and nematode strains also contain a variety of virulences, both of which factors help to determine whether infected host trees will die or survive. As well, biotic and abiotic environmental factors influence the fate of infected trees. This book describes the history of the disease, pathogenic nematodes, vector beetles, the etiology and ecology of the disease, microorganisms involved, and control methods that utilize host resistance and biological control agents. Concrete, comprehensive, and the most up-to-date knowledge about this worldwide forest epidemic is presented for readers, enabling them to understand the nature and epidemic threat of pine wilt disease.