| Popis: |
Catastrophic wind disturbances under climatic changes are causing major economic impacts and ecological changes that can persist for decades. Bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) population and community dynamics are often linked to such wind disturbances at several spatial and temporal scales ranging from damage to individual trees to large-scale windthrow that may prompt multiyear outbreaks on the landscape scale. In this chapter, we discuss how catastrophic wind disturbances and ensuing biological legacies enhance bark beetle populations, particularly in the context of climatic changes. The high level of variability at the tree, stand, and landscape levels created by windstorms generally has positive consequences for eruptive bark beetle species, particularly in Europe. Poststorm timber salvaging to alleviate pest burdens may push biotic elements, especially those dependent on coarse woody debris and forest gaps, into different successional pathways. Climate change is undoubtedly influencing the interactions between these two major disturbance agents by increasing their intensity and severity levels and altering landscape characteristics with feedback loops. In the Anthropocene, predictive modeling of network interactions between multiple abiotic and biotic disturbances and stressors will be critical for effective mitigation, forest restoration, and sustainable forestry practices in a rapidly changing world. |
