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

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Hauptverfasser: Evan C. Johnson, Antonia Musso, Catherine Cullingham, Mark A. Lewis
Format: Artículo Open Access
Veröffentlicht: Wiley 2025
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author Evan C. Johnson
Antonia Musso
Catherine Cullingham
Mark A. Lewis
author_facet Evan C. Johnson
Antonia Musso
Catherine Cullingham
Mark A. Lewis
Evan C. Johnson
Antonia Musso
Catherine Cullingham
Mark A. Lewis
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion Evan C. Johnson Antonia Musso Catherine Cullingham Mark A. Lewis Ecology and Evolution ABSTRACT 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. 10.1002/ece3.72296 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
doi_str_mv 10.1002/ece3.72296
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id wiley_oa_10_1002_ece3_72296
institution Wiley Open Access
license_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
publishDate 2025
publisher Wiley
record_format wiley_oa
spellingShingle Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion
Evan C. Johnson
Antonia Musso
Catherine Cullingham
Mark A. Lewis
Ecology and Evolution
Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion Evan C. Johnson Antonia Musso Catherine Cullingham Mark A. Lewis Ecology and Evolution ABSTRACT 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. 10.1002/ece3.72296 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Biological Barriers to Forest Pest Invasions: A Novel Host Tree Slows Mountain Pine Beetle Range Expansion
topic Ecology and Evolution
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.72296