Fortifying the forest: thinning and burning increase resistance to a bark beetle outbreak and promote forest resilience

• Published in: Ecological applications Vol. 26; no. 7; p. 1984
• Main Authors: Hood, Sharon M, Baker, Stephen, Sala, Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Coleoptera - physiology; Conservation of Natural Resources; Environmental Monitoring; Fires; Forestry; Forests; Montana; Pest Control - methods; Pinus - parasitology; Population Growth; Time Factors; delayed mortality; silviculture; succession; plant defense; Pinus ponderosa; fuel treatment; Montana, USA; Dendroctonus ponderosae; fire-adaptations; oleoresin

Fire frequency in low-elevation coniferous forests in western North America has greatly declined since the late 1800s. In many areas, this has increased tree density and the proportion of shade-tolerant species, reduced resource availability, and increased forest susceptibility to forest insect pest...