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Insects
Special Issues
Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World
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Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2019) | Viewed by 39666

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniel A. Herms

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Guest Editor
The Davey Tree Expert Company, Kent, OH, USA
Interests: forest insects; urban forest and shade tree insects; invasion ecology; tree-insect interactions; tree resistance to insects
Dr. Kenneth F. Raffa

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Guest Editor
Professor Dept. of Entomology & Beers-Bascom Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 345 Russell Laboratories, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Interests: forest entomology; plant-insect interactions; insect ecology; biological control; symbioses; invasive species
Dr. Kayla I. Perry

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Interests: insect ecology; invasive species; disturbance ecology; forest entomology; biodiversity and conservation of insects; soil ecology; Carabidae

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change, disturbance events, invasive species, and patterns of land use are among key drivers that interact to impact the distribution, abundance, and evolution of forest insects in a changing world.  This Special Issue of Insects will broadly address the effects of global change on ecology and management of insects along a gradient of wilderness, managed, plantation, and urban forests.  We invite submissions, including reviews and primary research reports, that address effects and implications of environmental change on insects in forest ecosystems including community and population ecology, biodiversity and conservation, biological invasions, ecosystem services, and pest management.

Dr. Daniel A. Herms
Prof. Dr. Kenneth F. Raffa
Dr. Kayla I. Perry
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. Insects 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

  • forest entomology
  • climate change
  • disturbance
  • land use change
  • invasive species
  • community ecology
  • population dynamics
  • tree-insect interactions
  • biodiversity
  • pest management

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1089 KiB  
Article
Can Cities Activate Sleeper Species and Predict Future Forest Pests? A Case Study of Scale Insects
by Steven D. Frank and Michael G. Just
Insects 2020, 11(3), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11030142 - 25 Feb 2020
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6039
Abstract
Sleeper species are innocuous native or naturalized species that exhibit invasive characteristics and become pests in response to environmental change. Climate warming is expected to increase arthropod damage in forests, in part, by transforming innocuous herbivores into severe pests: awakening sleeper species. Urban [...] Read more.
Sleeper species are innocuous native or naturalized species that exhibit invasive characteristics and become pests in response to environmental change. Climate warming is expected to increase arthropod damage in forests, in part, by transforming innocuous herbivores into severe pests: awakening sleeper species. Urban areas are warmer than natural areas due to the urban heat island effect and so the trees and pests in cities already experience temperatures predicted to occur in 50–100 years. We posit that arthropod species that become pests of urban trees are those that benefit from warming and thus should be monitored as potential sleeper species in forests. We illustrate this with two case studies of scale insects that are important pests of urban trees in parts of the US. Melanaspis tenebricosa and Parthenolecanium quercifex are geographically native to the US but take on invasive characteristics such as higher survival and reproduction and become disconnected from natural enemies on urban trees due to the urban heat island effect. This allows them to reach high densities and damage their host trees. Parthenolecanium quercifex density increases up to 12 times on urban willow oaks with just 2 °C of warming due to higher survival and adaptation to warmer temperatures. The urban heat island effect also creates a phenological mismatch between P. quercifex and its parasitoid complex, and so egg production is higher. Melanaspis tenebricosa density can increase 300 times on urban red maples with 2.5 °C of warming. This too is due to direct effects of warmer temperatures on survival and fecundity but M. tenebricosa also benefits from the drought stress incurred by warmer urban trees. These effects combine to increase M. tenebricosa density in forests as well as on urban trees at latitudes higher than its native range. We illustrate how cities provide a unique opportunity to study the complex effects of warming on insect herbivores. Studying pestilent urban species could be a pragmatic approach for identifying and preparing for sleeper species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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3 pages, 836 KiB  
Communication
Record of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) in Ukraine is Confirmed
by Alexander N. Drogvalenko, Marina J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja and Andrzej O. Bieńkowski
Insects 2019, 10(10), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10100338 - 11 Oct 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3452
Abstract
Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a devastating invasive pest of ash trees. This wood-boring insect is native to Asia and established in European Russia about 20 years ago. It severely damages Fraxinus pennsylvanica plantations and quickly spreads. In 2019 we first detected A. [...] Read more.
Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a devastating invasive pest of ash trees. This wood-boring insect is native to Asia and established in European Russia about 20 years ago. It severely damages Fraxinus pennsylvanica plantations and quickly spreads. In 2019 we first detected A. planipennis in Ukraine. More than 20 larvae were collected from under the bark of F. pennsylvanica trees on 5 September 2019 in the Markivka District of the Luhansk Region. The coordinates of the localities of collection were 49.614991 N, 39.559743 E; 49.614160 N, 39.572402 E; and 49.597043 N, 39.561811 E. The photos of the damaged trees with larval galleries, exit holes and larvae are presented. It indicates that A. planipennis is established in the east of Ukraine. This fact is important for development of quarantine protocols to prevent or at least slow the further spread of this invasive pest in Europe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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14 pages, 2071 KiB  
Article
Current Status of Forest Health Policy in the United States
by Kamal J. K. Gandhi, Faith Campbell and Jesse Abrams
Insects 2019, 10(4), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10040106 - 12 Apr 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3545
Abstract
Federal policies related to forestry and forest health (specifically, insects and diseases) have the potential to affect management practices, terms of international and interstate trade, and long-term sustainability and conservation. Our objectives were to review existing federal policies, the role of federal agencies [...] Read more.
Federal policies related to forestry and forest health (specifically, insects and diseases) have the potential to affect management practices, terms of international and interstate trade, and long-term sustainability and conservation. Our objectives were to review existing federal policies, the role of federal agencies in managing forest health, and guidance for future policy efforts. Since the 1940s, various federal policies relevant to forest health have been established, and several US Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies have been empowered to assist with prevention, quarantine, detection, management, and control of insects and diseases. Overall, our review showed that relatively few national policies directly address forest health as a stand-alone objective, as most of them are embedded within forestry bills. Federal funding for forest health issues and the number of personnel dedicated to such issues have declined dramatically for some agencies. Concomitantly, native species continue to gain pestiferous status while non-native species continue to establish and cause impacts in the US. To enhance our ability and capacity to deal with current and future threats, concerted efforts are needed to advocate for both resources and stand-alone policy tools that take seriously the complexity of emerging sustainability challenges in both private and public forestlands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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10 pages, 1420 KiB  
Communication
Limited Genetic Structure of Gypsy Moth Populations Reflecting a Recent History in Europe
by Nikola Lacković, Milan Pernek, Coralie Bertheau, Damjan Franjević, Christian Stauffer and Dimitrios N. Avtzis
Insects 2018, 9(4), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9040143 - 18 Oct 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4080
Abstract
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, a prominent polyphagous species native to Eurasia, causes severe impacts in deciduous forests during irregular periodical outbreaks. This study aimed to describe the genetic structure and diversity among European gypsy moth populations. Analysis of about 500 individuals [...] Read more.
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, a prominent polyphagous species native to Eurasia, causes severe impacts in deciduous forests during irregular periodical outbreaks. This study aimed to describe the genetic structure and diversity among European gypsy moth populations. Analysis of about 500 individuals using a partial region of the mitochondrial COI gene, L. dispar was characterized by low genetic diversity, limited population structure, and strong evidence that all extant haplogroups arose via a single Holocene population expansion event. Overall 60 haplotypes connected to a single parsimony network were detected and genetic diversity was highest for the coastal populations Croatia, Italy, and France, while lowest in continental populations. Phylogenetic reconstruction resulted in three groups that were geographically located in Central Europe, Dinaric Alps, and the Balkan Peninsula. In addition to recent events, the genetic structure reflects strong gene flow and the ability of gypsy moth to feed on about 400 deciduous and conifer species. Distinct genetic groups were detected in populations from Georgia. This remote population exhibited haplotypes intermediate to the European L. dispar dispar, Asian L. dispar asiatica, and L. dispar japonica clusters, highlighting this area as a possible hybridization zone of this species for future studies applying genomic approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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Review

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0 pages, 7180 KiB  
Review
Microbial Control of Invasive Forest Pests with Entomopathogenic Fungi: A Review of the Current Situation
by Surendra K. Dara, Cristian Montalva and Marek Barta
Insects 2019, 10(10), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10100341 - 12 Oct 2019
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7192
Abstract
The health of the forestlands of the world is impacted by a number of insect pests and some of them cause significant damage with serious economic and environmental implications. Whether it is damage of the North American cypress aphid in South America and [...] Read more.
The health of the forestlands of the world is impacted by a number of insect pests and some of them cause significant damage with serious economic and environmental implications. Whether it is damage of the North American cypress aphid in South America and Africa, or the destruction of maple trees in North America by the Asian long horned beetle, invasive forest pests are a major problem in many parts of the world. Several studies explored microbial control opportunities of invasive forest pests with entomopathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and some are successfully utilized as a part of integrated forest pest management programs around the world. This manuscript discusses some invasive pests and the status of their microbial control around the world with entomopathogenic fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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19 pages, 752 KiB  
Review
Dynamic Responses of Ground-Dwelling Invertebrate Communities to Disturbance in Forest Ecosystems
by Kayla I. Perry and Daniel A. Herms
Insects 2019, 10(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10030061 - 26 Feb 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5054
Abstract
In forest ecosystems, natural and anthropogenic disturbances alter canopy structure, understory vegetation, amount of woody debris, and the properties of litter and soil layers. The magnitude of these environmental changes is context-dependent and determined by the properties of the disturbance, such as the [...] Read more.
In forest ecosystems, natural and anthropogenic disturbances alter canopy structure, understory vegetation, amount of woody debris, and the properties of litter and soil layers. The magnitude of these environmental changes is context-dependent and determined by the properties of the disturbance, such as the frequency, intensity, duration, and extent. Therefore, disturbances can dynamically impact forest communities over time, including populations of ground-dwelling invertebrates that regulate key ecosystem processes. We propose conceptual models that describe the dynamic temporal effects of canopy gap formation and coarse woody debris accumulation following disturbances caused by invasive insects, wind, and salvage logging, and their impacts on ground-dwelling invertebrate communities. Within this framework, predictions are generated, literature on ground-dwelling invertebrate communities is synthesized, and pertinent knowledge gaps identified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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18 pages, 2230 KiB  
Review
The Past, Present, and Future of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) and Its Ecological Interactions with Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Forests
by Aaron M. Ellison, David A. Orwig, Matthew C. Fitzpatrick and Evan L. Preisser
Insects 2018, 9(4), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9040172 - 23 Nov 2018
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 9035
Abstract
The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid is steadily killing eastern hemlock trees in many parts of eastern North America. We summarize impacts of the adelgid on these forest foundation species; review previous models and analyses of adelgid spread dynamics; and examine how previous forecasts [...] Read more.
The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid is steadily killing eastern hemlock trees in many parts of eastern North America. We summarize impacts of the adelgid on these forest foundation species; review previous models and analyses of adelgid spread dynamics; and examine how previous forecasts of adelgid spread and ecosystem dynamics compare with current conditions. The adelgid has reset successional sequences, homogenized biological diversity at landscape scales, altered hydrological dynamics, and changed forest stands from carbon sinks into carbon sources. A new model better predicts spread of the adelgid in the south and west of the range of hemlock, but still under-predicts its spread in the north and east. Whether these underpredictions result from inadequately modeling accelerating climate change or accounting for people inadvertently moving the adelgid into new locales needs further study. Ecosystem models of adelgid-driven hemlock dynamics have consistently forecast that forest carbon stocks will be little affected by the shift from hemlock to early-successional mixed hardwood stands, but these forecasts have assumed that the intermediate stages will remain carbon sinks. New forecasting models of adelgid-driven hemlock decline should account for observed abrupt changes in carbon flux and ongoing and accelerating human-driven land-use and climatic changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Management of Forest Insects in a Changing World)
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