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Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Invasive Forest Insects and Diseases in the Northeast Active

By Climate Adaptation Science Centers December 31, 2018

Overview

This project examines the ecological impacts of several introduced and expanding forest insects and diseases on forest habitats across the northeastern US and upper Lake States region.  To address these novel threats, this work applies large-scale, co-developed experimental studies documenting impacts of ash mortality from emerald ash borer on lowland black ash communities in the Lake States and northern hardwood forests in New England; regional assessments of the impacts of the climate change-mediated expansion of southern pine beetle into northeastern pine barren communities; and ecological characterizations of areas experiencing suppression efforts to reduce the spread of the introduced Asian long-horned beetle in central New England and Ohio. Included in this work are the evaluation of co-developed adaptation strategies for mitigating impacts of these and other invasive species in combination with future effects of climate change.

Overview

This project examines the ecological impacts of several introduced and expanding forest insects and diseases on forest habitats across the northeastern US and upper Lake States region.  To address these novel threats, this work applies large-scale, co-developed experimental studies documenting impacts of ash mortality from emerald ash borer on lowland black ash communities in the Lake States and northern hardwood forests in New England; regional assessments of the impacts of the climate change-mediated expansion of southern pine beetle into northeastern pine barren communities; and ecological characterizations of areas experiencing suppression efforts to reduce the spread of the introduced Asian long-horned beetle in central New England and Ohio. Included in this work are the evaluation of co-developed adaptation strategies for mitigating impacts of these and other invasive species in combination with future effects of climate change.