Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion.

Fuente: PubMed
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Hauptverfasser: Johnson, Evan C, Musso, Antonia, Cullingham, Catherine, Lewis, Mark A
Format: Artículo científico
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: Ecology and evolution 2025
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author Johnson, Evan C
Musso, Antonia
Cullingham, Catherine
Lewis, Mark A
author_facet Johnson, Evan C
Musso, Antonia
Cullingham, Catherine
Lewis, Mark A
Johnson, Evan C
Musso, Antonia
Cullingham, Catherine
Lewis, Mark A
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion. Johnson, Evan C Musso, Antonia Cullingham, Catherine Lewis, Mark A Mountain pine beetle breached the Canadian Rocky Mountains-a former geographic barrier-initiating an eastward range expansion that threatens pine forests across North America. However, mountain pine beetle's expansion stalled unexpectedly in eastern Alberta, defying predictions of rapid spread through jack pine, a novel host tree. We investigated the mechanisms behind this slowed spread using an integrated methodology combining helicopter survey data, statistical modeling, simulations, and a consideration of experimental data. While previous hypotheses attributed the slowed spread to lower pine volumes and stem densities in eastern Alberta's forests, our findings indicate that jack pine's inherent phenotypic characteristics-specifically its smaller size, thinner phloem, and lower monoterpene concentrations-are the main factors limiting beetle success. Mountain pine beetle's limited spread is primarily caused by difficulties in locating and successfully attacking jack pine trees, rather than challenges with reproduction or larval survival within jack pine. Jack pine's traits appear to provide natural resistance against mountain pine beetle invasion, suggesting a lower risk of continued eastward spread than previously assumed. However, given the significant implications for forest management policy and the uncertainties inherent in ecological forecasting, we recommend maintaining beetle monitoring programs.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41112023
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2025
publisher Ecology and evolution
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion.
Johnson, Evan C
Musso, Antonia
Cullingham, Catherine
Lewis, Mark A
Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion. Johnson, Evan C Musso, Antonia Cullingham, Catherine Lewis, Mark A Mountain pine beetle breached the Canadian Rocky Mountains-a former geographic barrier-initiating an eastward range expansion that threatens pine forests across North America. However, mountain pine beetle's expansion stalled unexpectedly in eastern Alberta, defying predictions of rapid spread through jack pine, a novel host tree. We investigated the mechanisms behind this slowed spread using an integrated methodology combining helicopter survey data, statistical modeling, simulations, and a consideration of experimental data. While previous hypotheses attributed the slowed spread to lower pine volumes and stem densities in eastern Alberta's forests, our findings indicate that jack pine's inherent phenotypic characteristics-specifically its smaller size, thinner phloem, and lower monoterpene concentrations-are the main factors limiting beetle success. Mountain pine beetle's limited spread is primarily caused by difficulties in locating and successfully attacking jack pine trees, rather than challenges with reproduction or larval survival within jack pine. Jack pine's traits appear to provide natural resistance against mountain pine beetle invasion, suggesting a lower risk of continued eastward spread than previously assumed. However, given the significant implications for forest management policy and the uncertainties inherent in ecological forecasting, we recommend maintaining beetle monitoring programs.
title Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion.
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41112023/