Abstract
Of the more than five hundred and fifty species of North American bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), approximately twenty species occasionally cause large amounts of tree mortality in conifer forests. During 2000–2020, trends in bark beetle impacts changed dramatically across North America compared to those observed during the mid- to late 20
th century. We review tools and tactics available for bark beetle suppression and prevention and provide an overview of temporal and spatial trends in bark beetle impacts in North American forests during 2000–2020. Higher impacts were observed for several bark beetle species in western North America accompanied by substantial declines in eastern North America driven by large reductions in southern pine beetle
(Dendroctonus frontalis) activity in the southeastern United States. Regional differences likely result from a higher species richness of both bark beetles and their hosts in western North America, stronger direct and indirect effects of climate change (warming and drying) on bark beetles in western North America, and differences in forest composition, management history, and other abiotic stressors and disturbances.
Keywords
Dendroctonus,
Ips,
Pinus,
Picea,
resilience,
Scolytus,
tree mortality
Citation
Fettig, Christopher J; Asaro, Christopher; Nowak, John T; Dodds, Kevin J; Gandhi, Kamal J K; Moan, Jason E; Robert, Jeanne. 2022. Trends in Bark Beetle Impacts in North America During a Period (2000–2020) of Rapid Environmental Change. Journal of Forestry. 120(6): 693-713. https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvac021.
