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Forests
Special Issues
Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems
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Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (3 May 2021) | Viewed by 10729

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Stephen Cook

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
Interests: population dynamics and integrated pest management of forest insects; tree resistance to insect herbivores; insect management in nurseries and seed orchards
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marc Rhainds

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Interests: biodiversity; conservation; biology; species; diversity; evolution; taxonomy; systematics; phylogenetic analysis; biodiversity assessment; phylogenetics; phylogeography and phylogenetic biogeography; invertebrate zoology; speciation; insect taxonomy; insect identification; insect diversity; DNA barcoding; nomenclature; systematic entomology; cladistics; butterflies; scientific digital photography; biodiversity informatics; scientific illustration; myrmecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The focus of many forest health programs has been to examine and mitigate the impact of pest insects and pathogens within forest ecosystems. Forests are biotic communities comprised of multiple interacting species that are dominated by trees. These communities can be impacted and change in the presence of various insects and pathogens. For example, some tree species have been virtually eliminated from specific geographic areas by the introduction of pests such as emerald ash borer and chestnut blight. Further, outbreaks of native species (e.g., multiple species of bark beetles) can modify stand structure and composition. Insects and pathogens also influence crucial ecosystem services provided by forests such as nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.

The aim of this Special Issue of Forests is to comprehensively explore the multitude of impacts (both known and potential) that insects and pathogens have on forest ecosystems. The scope of the reports can include any aspect of how insects and pathogens change forest ecosystems, from how they can influence biological and chemical processes to how they can modify community membership and structure.

We are especially interested in novel, cutting-edge studies that document the impacts of insects and/or pathogens on forest systems. We are also interested in comprehensive reviews that provide new insights on the influence of forest insects and pathogens.

The submission deadline is 10 November 2020.

Prof. Stephen Cook
Dr. Marc Rhainds
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • insect and pathogen influence on forest ecosystems
  • forest community structure
  • forest ecosystem resilience
  • population and community dynamics

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 7202 KiB  
Article
Association of Recent Incidence of Foliar Disease in Pine Species in the Southeastern United States with Tree and Climate Variables
by Karun Pandit, Jason Smith, Tania Quesada, Caterina Villari and Daniel J. Johnson
Forests 2020, 11(11), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11111155 - 30 Oct 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3188
Abstract
Pine forests in the southern United States are a major contributor to the global economy. Through the last three decades, however, there have been concerns about the decline of pine forests attributed mostly to pests and pathogens. A combination of biotic agents and [...] Read more.
Pine forests in the southern United States are a major contributor to the global economy. Through the last three decades, however, there have been concerns about the decline of pine forests attributed mostly to pests and pathogens. A combination of biotic agents and environmental factors and their interaction often influences outbreaks and the resultant damage in the forests. Southern pines experience periodic mortality from bark beetles and root rot fungi and losses from fusiform rust and pitch canker have long been important for management. In recent years, there is also growing evidence of increasing damage from foliar disease in southern pines. Early detection of diseases following changes in foliar characteristics and assessment of potential risks will help us better utilize our resources and manage these forests sustainably. In this study, we used Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to explore the intensity of foliar disease in three common pines: loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), and slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) in spatial and temporal terms using tree-level and climatic variables. Results from a tree-level model suggests that crown ratio may be an important factor in pine foliar disease (p < 0.1). We applied the MaxEnt model, a presence-only species distribution model (SDM), to explore any association of foliar disease incidences with the climatic variables at a landscape level. Results indicate that mean dew point temperature, maximum vapor pressure deficit, and precipitation during cold months had more influence over disease incidences than other climatic variables. While the sample size is limited as this is an emerging disease in the region, our study provides a basis for further exploration of disease detection methods, disease etiology studies, and hazard mapping. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems)
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14 pages, 1269 KiB  
Article
Herb-Layer Dynamics in an Old-Growth Forest: Vegetation–Environment Relationships and Response to Invasion-Related Perturbations
by Taylor M. Buskey, Margaret E. Maloney, Julia I. Chapman and Ryan W. McEwan
Forests 2020, 11(10), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11101069 - 6 Oct 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2066
Abstract
Temperate forests of eastern North America are subject to multiple invasions from non-native species that have the potential to drive long-term dynamics in biodiversity. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande) is an invasive plant in many deciduous forests, and [...] Read more.
Temperate forests of eastern North America are subject to multiple invasions from non-native species that have the potential to drive long-term dynamics in biodiversity. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande) is an invasive plant in many deciduous forests, and management efforts often focus on removing this species to initiate native species restoration. Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (emerald ash borer; Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a non-native insect pest that has caused substantial loss of ash trees (Fraxinus spp. L.) in North America. Our goal was to understand how the herbaceous layer in an old-growth forest responded to the removal of a significant invasion of A. petiolata and the loss of Fraxinus spp. due to A. planipennis. Herbaceous diversity and environmental parameters were measured in 32 permanent plots (1 m2 each) from 2012 to 2020 in an old-growth forest remnant that had experienced A. petiolata invasion and subsequent removal as well as mortality of Fraxinus spp. due to A. planipennis. Near-total loss of Fraxinus spp. as a canopy tree was not associated with changes in the understory light environment, possibly due to rapid canopy closure by adjacent trees not susceptible to the insect. Alliaria petiolata removal was associated with changes in herbaceous species richness and possibly shifts in individual species importance. Vegetation–environment relationships remained stable throughout the sampling period, suggesting that resource-related factors that structure the herb layer prevailed throughout the changes associated with Fraxinus spp. mortality and A. petiolata management. From a natural area management perspective, our data offer support for the idea that A. petiolata removal influences herb-layer diversity and indicate that in stands with a diverse tree community, the loss of Fraxinus spp. may not directly influence understory biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems)
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8 pages, 1630 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Pinewood Nematodes in Pinus tabuliformis Carr. under Low-Temperature Conditions in Fushun, China
by Long Pan, Rong Cui, Yongxia Li, Yuqian Feng and Xingyao Zhang
Forests 2020, 11(9), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11090993 - 16 Sep 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1944
Abstract
In recent years, the pinewood nematode has continuously adapted to low-temperature environments and expanded from the South to the North of China. In December 2018, a large area of pinewood nematode was suspected to be harmful to Pinus tabuliformis under natural conditions in [...] Read more.
In recent years, the pinewood nematode has continuously adapted to low-temperature environments and expanded from the South to the North of China. In December 2018, a large area of pinewood nematode was suspected to be harmful to Pinus tabuliformis under natural conditions in Fushun City, Liaoning Province. In order to clarify the low-temperature environment and population characteristics of pinewood nematodes in this new epidemic area, we analyzed the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of P. tabuliformis in low-temperature environments, conducted the morphological and molecular identification of pinewood nematodes in P. tabuliformis, summarized the distribution characteristics of the wintering of pinewood nematodes and explored the population structure of pinewood nematodes under different low-temperature conditions. The results indicated that the diurnal variation of temperature in dead P. tabuliformis was significantly less than the environment temperature. The lowest temperature in P. tabuliformis was 3.2 °C higher than the lowest temperature in the environment in one day; the pathogen of a large area of dead P. tabuliformis in Fushun was pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus); 84.9% of the average populations of pinewood nematodes were third-stage dispersal juveniles, which mainly gathered in 5 cm within the pupal chamber of Monochamus saltuarius Gebler. At −40 ℃, most of the third-stage dispersal juveniles of pinewood nematode in dead pine can still survive. Our study laid a foundation for the understanding of the low-temperature adaptation mechanism of pinewood nematode and contributed to the monitoring of pine wilt disease in the mid-temperate zone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems)
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9 pages, 1211 KiB  
Article
Forest Compositional Changes after a Decade of Emerald Ash Borer
by Jordan M. Marshall
Forests 2020, 11(9), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11090949 - 30 Aug 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2720
Abstract
Emerald ash borer is an invasive pest in North American forests. Ecological impacts of ash mortality from emerald ash borer are wide-ranging, including shifts in insect communities and wildlife behavior. Additionally, loss of ash from forests may have important implications regarding plant succession. [...] Read more.
Emerald ash borer is an invasive pest in North American forests. Ecological impacts of ash mortality from emerald ash borer are wide-ranging, including shifts in insect communities and wildlife behavior. Additionally, loss of ash from forests may have important implications regarding plant succession. Surveys of overstory, midstory, and understory trees within forests in northeastern Indiana, Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and northwestern Ohio were conducted to quantify the change in forest composition over a 10 year period. Interpolation of ash dominance illustrated inversion of live and dead ash values between 2007 and 2017. Even though more than 83% of overstory live ash basal area was lost across the study area, green ash was the most abundant midstory and understory species representing regeneration. Additionally, loss of ash from many of the sites resulted in compositional changes that were greater than merely the subtraction of ash. Due to the relatively large number of forest types with which ash species are associated, loss of ash will have broad ecological consequences, including on community composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Forest Ecosystems)
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