Climate Effects on Forest Tree/Stand Predisposition to Biotic Disturbance

Dear Colleagues,

Forest tree species have adapted to the climatic characteristics of their natural habitats over millennia and are now facing dramatic changes in the course of a warming climate. Periods of increased temperature and precipitation deficits are becoming more frequent and severe worldwide. Macro- and microclimatic conditions strongly impact the distribution and abundance of trees, as well as of a multitude of potentially damaging forest insect and fungal species. The likelihood of biotic attack largely depends on given site conditions as well as seasonal weather parameters interacting with the performance of a particular pest species. Trees rely on a broad array of defense mechanisms against invaders such as bark beetles, defoliating insects and pathogens, which may however compete against primary metabolic processes for energy resources under stress. Changing climatic conditions involving heat waves, periods of drought and increased CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere impact nutritional quality of the host plants via physical and chemical changes in bark and leaf tissue. This Special Issue shall present a broad overview on novel study outcomes with particular emphasis on climate-mediated insect and pathogen performance, as well as tree resistance. Contributions are welcome describing pest/host relationships from individual tree to forest stand level.

Dr. Sigrid Netherer
Guest Editor

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