Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska: A review of 30 years of research

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 227; no. 3; pp. 195 - 206
• Main Authors: Werner, Richard A., Holsten, Edward H., Matsuoka, Steven M., Burnside, Roger E.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alaska; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; boreal forests; coniferous forests; Control; Dendroctonus rufipennis; forest insects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insect control; insect pests; literature reviews; Natural disturbance; pest resistance; Picea; Scolytidae; Semiochemicals; Silviculture; Spruce beetle; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Wildlife; Alaska; United States; North America; America; USA, Alaska; Dendroctonus rufipennis; Control; Spruce beetle; Silviculture; Wildlife; Alaska; Natural disturbance; Semiochemicals; Climate; Forests; Coleoptera; Insecta; Biology; Review; Outbreak; Gymnospermae; Picea; Forest zone; Mortality; Ecology; Wild life; Perturbation; Long term; Arthropoda; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Invertebrata; Scolytidae
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.02.050

From 1920 to 1989, approximately 847,000 ha of Alaska spruce ( Picea spp.) forests were infested by spruce beetles ( Dendroctonus rufipennis). From 1990 to 2000, an extensive outbreak of spruce beetles caused mortality of spruce across 1.19 million ha of forests in Alaska; approximately 40% more forest area than was infested the previous 70 years. This review presents some of the most important findings from a diversity of research and management projects from 1970 to 2004 to understand the biology, ecology, and control of this important forest insect, and the causes and effects of their outbreaks. We suggest that future research should examine the long-term effects of the spruce beetle outbreaks and climate variability on forest ecosystems in the region. Research into how different management actions facilitate or interrupt natural successional processes would be particularly useful.