Impact of Pests, Climate and Other Factors on Forest Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 2500

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Research, Science & Innovation (RSI), ACRT, 4500 Courthouse Boulevard, Stow, OH 44224, USA
Interests: tree; forest pests; forest health; biological invasions; insect molecular diagnostics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The impact of climate on forest health is of growing interest globally as weather continues to be erratic and more and more of a challenge to traditional forest managment strategies. Today we need also to engage emerging issues such as the growing need for forest canopy enrichment, economic sustainability and post-pandemic worker challenges. Add to this the growing threats of biological invasions, pests and diseace outbreaks as trees become more stressed in periods of drought or compromised during excessive rains and floods. Additionally, large tracts of land are now periodically subject to wildland fires. To assist in engaging these and other impact factors while instituting enhanced forest management practices we need today to embrace technological innovation and data-driven analytics and metrics. For example, as the need to more aggressively counter invasive species and mitigate against future invasions, we will need to focus on improving our engagement in human-related aspects of our work with suitable research, development and technical transfer and training. Technological advances offer tools that can assist in such fields as insect molecular diagnostics, tacking pests and disease spread, remote sensing and the ability to plan and deploy strategies effectively. A multidisciplinary approach will help on aspects of improving tree canopy health and ultimately deliver on tree species richness, enhanced stewardship, biodiversity and resiliency of Forests. 

Biology and ecology of forest pests both traditional and invasive, treatment of insect and diseases that inpact on forest health. Forest biodiversity asserssments in forested ecosystems at the canopy level and undercanopy.New invasive plant species introductions in forested areas and managment. New technology that helps guide forestry practices. Forestry tree canopy health assessments and mapping using remote sensing and other artificial intelligence. Soil considerations for healthy forests. Climate related inpacts and tracking change in forest compostion with climate. Forestry technological transfer and tracking success of new strategies. 

Submitted manuscripts must be original contributions; not submitted to other journals. Papers published or submitted for publication in conference proceedings may be considered if revised to fit the requirements of expanded journal articles. 

Dr. Anand B. Persad
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • invasive spp
  • climate change
  • biodiversity
  • treatments
  • technology
  • stewardship
  • resiliency

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1647 KiB  
Article
Dendroclimatic Response of Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Affected by Shoot Blight Caused by Diplodia pinea
by Sophan Chhin and Kaelyn Finley
Forests 2024, 15(11), 2011; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15112011 - 15 Nov 2024
Viewed by 699
Abstract
The overall objective of our study was to examine the influence of climatic factors and tree-based competition on the radial growth of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forests affected by the fungal pathogen, Diplodia pinea. Our study utilized dendroclimatic techniques to [...] Read more.
The overall objective of our study was to examine the influence of climatic factors and tree-based competition on the radial growth of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forests affected by the fungal pathogen, Diplodia pinea. Our study utilized dendroclimatic techniques to examine how past annual diameter growth can be influenced by the historical climate of the region. Twenty jack pine sites were sampled in Michigan within the Upper Peninsula (UP) and the Lower Peninsula (LP) region. Furthermore, two condition levels of forest health (D. pinea-affected vs. healthy reference stands) were considered between two levels of stand density (i.e., high vs. low density). The relationships between radial growth and climate identified in this study indicated that jack pine radial growth was typically affected by the climatic moisture index, whereas the response to temperature variables was weak to non-existent. In the Upper Peninsula region, crown damage likely sustained during harsh winters could have made jack pine stands prone to D. pinea by facilitating a point of entry for infection; furthermore, higher-density stands infected by D. pinea were influenced by moisture stress that occurred during the summer of the prior year. In the LP region, regardless of stand density, D. pinea was sensitive to moisture stress in the summer of the prior growing season; furthermore, negative relationships with precipitation in the spring may have improved spore dispersion in D. pinea-affected stands. Overall, our study provides improved understanding of the interactive role of climatic stress and forest pathogens on jack pine productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Pests, Climate and Other Factors on Forest Health)
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21 pages, 5129 KiB  
Article
Fragmentation and Connectivity in dehesa Ecosystems Associated with Cerambyx spp. Dispersion and Control: A Graph-Theory Approach
by Adrián Cidre-González, Carlos A. Rivas and Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo
Forests 2024, 15(4), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040648 - 2 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1393
Abstract
Xylophagous insects play a crucial role in forest ecosystems, contributing to population dynamics. The “Cerambyx complex” (CC) constitutes an emerging pest in Mediterranean oak woodlands. We studied the fragmentation and connectivity of holm and cork oak stands in Andalusia (Spain), and [...] Read more.
Xylophagous insects play a crucial role in forest ecosystems, contributing to population dynamics. The “Cerambyx complex” (CC) constitutes an emerging pest in Mediterranean oak woodlands. We studied the fragmentation and connectivity of holm and cork oak stands in Andalusia (Spain), and the relationships with the current dispersion of CC, as well as the effect on the connectivity and dispersion patterns with the implementation of nests of a predator bird (Garrulus glandarius) to reduce insect populations in highly connected areas. The Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) was used to assess the spatial distribution of CC. Connectivity was assessed using graphs theory (Graphab 2.6) to characterize the importance of patches and linkages for contributing to dispersal. We selected the Eurasian jay (G. glandarius) as a reference bird species to generate “barriers” to the dispersion of the CC. We used the probability of connectivity (PC) and the flux (F) to compare the effect of the introduction of Eurasian jay nets. Results showed an increasing trend in the distribution and incidence of CC during the period 2001–2016, resulting in 7.3% and 13.1% mortality rates for Q. ilex and Q. suber, respectively. The connectivity model using only Q. ilex and Q. suber forests as reference habitats was not enough to explain the distribution of CC. The value of PC and F metrics decreased by 38.09% and 20.59% by introducing 300 nests of Eurasian jay. Our methodology provides a pest management tool using connectivity metrics, which can be integrated with other variables to control pest outbreaks and pest dispersion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Pests, Climate and Other Factors on Forest Health)
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