By Climate Adaptation Science Centers
June 21, 2021
Southeast CASC researcher Steve Frank explains how warming cities may make for a more welcoming environment for pests.
Video: Warming Cities Create a Buggy Problem
Southeast CASC researcher Steve Frank from North Carolina State University was interviewed by the documentary series Local Motives on his research on the urban heat island effect, where urban areas full of impervious surfaces (e.g. sidewalks, roads, buildings) experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. Frank explains how warmer conditions in urban areas may increase the presence of tree pests, threatening urban tree health. This research can inform urban planning that is considerate of climate change impacts.
This work stems from the Southeast CASC supported projects:
Effects of Urbanization on the Conservation Value of Forests
Consequences of Urbanization and Climate Change on Human and Ecosystem Health
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Effects of Urbanization on the Conservation Value of Forests
Urbanization in the Southeast U.S. is among the fastest in the nation, and represents a primary threat to threatened and endangered species. As urbanized areas expand, they are encroaching on preserved areas, like national wildlife refuges, and are dividing forests into smaller fragments. Forests that are located next to cities and suburbs are exposed to high temperatures, pollution, insect pests,
Consequences of Urbanization and Climate Change on Human and Ecosystem Health
In this proposal we investigate how tree selection at the local scale affects biodiversity and ecosystem services (Obj. 1). We then look regionally to determine the extent to which trees in cities can be used to predict heat-related threats to rural forests (Obj. 2). We will leverage ongoing investigations of heat-related stress and pest outbreaks in urban and rural forests to develop management r
Tree Eaters: Predicting the Response of Herbivores to the Integrated Effects of Urban and Global Change
Climate in the southeastern U.S. is predicted to be changing at a slower rate than other parts of North America. However, land use change associated with urbanization is having a significant effect on wildlife populations and habitat availability. We sought to understand the effect of global warming on both beneficial and pest insects of trees. We used urban warming as a proxy for global warming a
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Urbanization in the Southeast U.S. is among the fastest in the nation, and represents a primary threat to threatened and endangered species. As urbanized areas expand, they are encroaching on preserved areas, like national wildlife refuges, and are dividing forests into smaller fragments. Forests that are located next to cities and suburbs are exposed to high temperatures, pollution, insect pests,Consequences of Urbanization and Climate Change on Human and Ecosystem Health
In this proposal we investigate how tree selection at the local scale affects biodiversity and ecosystem services (Obj. 1). We then look regionally to determine the extent to which trees in cities can be used to predict heat-related threats to rural forests (Obj. 2). We will leverage ongoing investigations of heat-related stress and pest outbreaks in urban and rural forests to develop management rTree Eaters: Predicting the Response of Herbivores to the Integrated Effects of Urban and Global Change
Climate in the southeastern U.S. is predicted to be changing at a slower rate than other parts of North America. However, land use change associated with urbanization is having a significant effect on wildlife populations and habitat availability. We sought to understand the effect of global warming on both beneficial and pest insects of trees. We used urban warming as a proxy for global warming a