Mountain Pine Beetles
The New York Times recently published an article on the impact that mountain pine beetles are having on pine forests throughout the Rockies, including a video piece. These native beetles have flourished recently thanks to a number of factors, including mild winters; if temperatures are cold enough many larva are killed during winter. Trees experiencing stress (e.g., drought, overcrowding, or old age) are also susceptible to mountain pine beetle outbreaks. Not surprisingly, recent research suggests that as the climate warms, we can expect to see mountain pine beetle outbreaks at higher latitudes. This also reflects the shifting of host ecosystems as the climate changes.
Journal Article: A look beyond trees, to how mountain pine beetle outbreaks will affect the carbon cycle under a changing climate.
- twila moon's blog
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Wow climate change is here
Wow climate change is here and now.
Cold temps
Will this cold spell have any impact on these insect outreaks?
Even lower temps may be needed
Entomologist Ken Gibson with the U.S. Forest Service in Missoula was recently quoted saying that "low temperatures around 35 degrees below zero are needed for several days running" before there is a significant impact on mountain pine beetles. This is echoed by scientists across the board, who note that temperatures must be around minus 30 (F) under the bark for the beetles to be affected.
You must also consider the number of beetles in an outbreak. If you have literally billions of beetles, even a survival rate of 5-10% leaves a significant population. Thus, some especially large outbreaks, such as those in Alberta and B.C., may not even be helped by cold temperatures.
A side note: A summer field trip to look at a whitebark pine forest on Big Sky's Lone Mountain revealed many whitebark pines newly hit with pine beetles, despite a few cold snaps during the '07-'08 winter. These are hardy bugs!