Changes of Norway Spruce Health in the Białowieża Forest (CE Europe) in 2013–2019 during a Bark Beetle Infestation, Studied with Landsat Imagery

Among the largest disturbances affecting the health of spruce forests is the large-scale appearance of bark beetles. Knowledge on the spatial distribution of infected-spruce areas is vital for effective and sustainable forest management. Medium-spatial-resolution (20–30 m) satellite images are well-suited for spruce forest disturbance monitoring at a landscape and regional scale following bark beetle outbreaks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health of a Norway spruce stand after a bark beetle outbreak based on Landsat 8 images and thematic and vector data, supplemented with selected climate variables. This research was conducted for a spruce stand in the Białowieża Forest District in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. We hypothesised that the changes in spruce health would significantly influence the NDVI distributions during the studied years. Our research revealed that the weather conditions in the period of May–September were beneficial for beetle development and detrimental for the spruce stand, particularly in 2015, 2018, and 2019. SWIR-NIR-G and NDVI images showed a gradual deterioration in spruce health. The quantitative NDVI distributions varied; the minimum, mean, and median decreased; and the distribution shape of the index values changed over the studied years. An analysis of the spatial NDVI distributions revealed that the threshold NDVI value separating spruce stand areas in good and poor health was ca. 0.6. This study confirmed the applicability of NDVI for monitoring alterations in spruce stands, and indicated that spatial NDVI distributions can provide valuable support in forest monitoring at a landscape scale, since medium-resolution, ready-to-use NDVI images are easily available from the Landsat archives, facilitating the routine assessment of stand health.

Download Full-text

Impacts of European spruce bark beetle infestations on Norway spruce BVOC emissions

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7624 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Erica Jaakkola ◽

Anna Maria Jönsson ◽

Per-Ola Olsson ◽

Maj-Lena Linderson ◽

Thomas Holst

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Strong Increase ◽

Healthy Tree ◽

Spruce Bark Beetle ◽

Spruce Bark

Tree killing by spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus) is one of the main disturbances to Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests in Europe and the risk of outbreaks is amplified by climate change with effects such as increased risk of storm felling, tree drought stress and an additional generation of spruce bark beetles per year[1]. The warm and dry&#160;summer of&#160;2018 triggered large outbreaks in Sweden, the increased outbreaks are still ongoing and affected&#160;about 8 million m3&#160;forest&#160;in 2020[2]. This is the so&#160;far highest record of trees killed by the spruce bark beetle in a single year in Sweden[2]. In&#160;1990-2010,&#160;the spruce bark beetle killed on&#160;average&#160;150 000 m3&#160;forest per year in southern Sweden[3]. Bark beetles normally seek and attack Norway spruces with lowered defense, i.e. trees that are wind-felled or experience prolonged drought stress[4]. However, as the number of bark beetle outbreaks increase, the risk of attacks on healthy trees also increase[5]. This causes a higher threat to forest industry, and lowers the possibilities to mitigate climate change in terms of potential decreases in carbon uptake if the forests die[4,5]. Norway spruce trees normally defend themselves by drenching the beetles in resin[6]. The resin in turn contains different biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which can vary if the spruce is attacked by bark beetles or not [4,6]. The most abundant group of terpenoids (isoprene, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes), is most commonly emitted from conifers, such as Norway spruce[7,8]. The aim of this study was to enable a better understanding of the direct defense mechanisms of spruce trees by&#160;quantifying BVOC emissions and its composition&#160;from individual&#160;trees under attackTo analyze the bark beetles&#8217; impact on Norway spruce trees a method was developed using tree trunk chambers and adsorbent tubes. This enables direct measurements of the production of BVOCs from individual trees. Three different sites in Sweden, with different environmental conditions were used for the study and samples were collected throughout the growing season of 2019. After sampling, the tubes were analyzed in a lab using automated thermal desorption coupled to a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer to identify BVOC species and their quantity.The preliminary results show a strong increase in BVOC emissions from a healthy tree that became infested during the data collection. The finalized results expect to enable better understanding of how spruce trees are affected by insect stress from bark beetles, and if bark beetle infestation will potentially result in increased carbon emission in the form of BVOCs.References[1] J&#246;nsson et al. (2012). Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 166: 188&#8211;200 [2] Skogsstyrelsen, (2020). https://via.tt.se/pressmeddelande/miljontals-granar-dodades-av-granbarkborren-2020?publisherId=415163&releaseId=3288473 [3] Marini et al. (2017). Ecography, 40(12), 1426&#8211;1435. [4] Raffa (1991). Photochemical induction by herbivores. pp. 245-276 [5] Seidl, et al. (2014). Nature Climate Change,&#160;4(9), 806-810. [6] Ghimire, et al. (2016).&#160;Atmospheric Environment,&#160;126, 145-152. [7] Niinemets, U. and Monson, R. (2013). ISBN 978-94-007-6606-8 [8] Kesselmeier, J. and Staudt, M. (1999). Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 33(1), pp.23-88

Download Full-text

Bark Beetle Population Dynamics in the Anthropocene: Challenges and Solutions

10.20944/preprints201810.0640.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Peter H. W. Biedermann ◽

Jean-Claude Grégoire ◽

Axel Gruppe ◽

Jonas Hagge ◽

Almuth Hammerbacher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Collaborative Research ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ips Typographus ◽

Ecological Framework ◽

Beetle Population ◽

Spruce Bark ◽

Important Pest

Tree-killing bark beetles are the most economically important insects in conifer forests worldwide. Yet  despite >200 years of research, the drivers of population eruptions or crashes are still not fully understood, precluding reliable predictions of the effects of global change on beetle population dynamics and impacts on ecosystems and humans.  We critically analyze potential biotic and abiotic drivers of population dynamics of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) and present a novel ecological framework that integrates the multiple drivers governing this bark beetle system. We call for large-scale collaborative research efforts to improve our understanding of the population dynamics of this important pest; an approach that might serve as a blueprint for other eruptive forest insects.

Download Full-text

Automatic Semi-Global Artificial Shoreline Subpixel Localization Algorithm for Landsat Imagery

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs11151779 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (15) ◽

pp. 1779 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Song ◽

Liu ◽

Ling ◽

Yue

Keyword(s):

Satellite Remote Sensing ◽

Large Scale ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Landsat Imagery ◽

Landsat 8 ◽

Control Points ◽

Localization Algorithm ◽

Fitting Method ◽

Integral Error ◽

Local Intensity

Shoreline mapping using satellite remote sensing images has the advantages of large-scale surveys and high efficiency. However, low spatial resolution, various geometric morphologies and complex offshore environments prevent accurate positioning of the shoreline. This article proposes a semi-global subpixel shoreline localization method that considers utilizing morphological control points to divide the initial artificial shoreline into segments of relatively simple morphology and analyzing the local intensity homogeneity to calculate the intensity integral error. Combined with the segmentation-merge-fitting method, the algorithm determines the subpixel location accurately. In experiments, we select five artificial shorelines with various geometric morphologies from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI ) data. The five subpixel artificial shoreline RMSE results lie in the range of 3.02 m to 4.77 m, with line matching results varying from 2.51 m to 3.72 m. Thus, it can be concluded that the proposed subpixel localization algorithm is effective and applicable to artificial shoreline in various geometric morphologies and is robust to complex offshore environments, to some extent.

Download Full-text

Spruce resins constitute a strong sink for methane (CH4)

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-2892 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Katerina Machacova ◽

Thomas Schindler ◽

Ülo Mander ◽

Kaido Soosaar

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Boreal Forests ◽

Large Scale ◽

Temperate Zone ◽

Exchange Potential ◽

Potential Control ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Roof Experiment

Woody plants are known to emit methane (CH4) as an important greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Recent studies show that tree stems might be also sinks for CH4; however, the mechanisms of CH4 uptake and its fate are unknown. Norway spruce (Picea abies) is characterised as negligible CH4 source in boreal forests. Even though spruce trees have been widely planted for its wood in large-scale monocultures in European temperate forests, no studies have focused on their CH4 exchange potential in the temperate zone.We determined stems of Norway spruce growing in a temperate zone aiming to find out whether the tree stems exchange CH4 with the atmosphere and how they contribute to the forest trace gas exchange.The measurements were performed at the experimental station of the &#8216;Kranzberg Forest Roof Experiment&#8217; near Freising, Germany, in June 2019. Fluxes of CH4 in mature tree stems were measured using non-steady-state stem chamber systems (n=32) installed in stem vertical profile approx. two weeks prior to measurements using a portable greenhouse gas analyser. Moreover, resins sampled from spruce stems were investigated for their CH4 exchange potential. Control measurements were performed to ensure that the fluxes do not originate from used chamber materials, in particular silicones used for chamber installation.Our preliminary results show that the spruce stems can be a strong sink for CH4 (-0.288 &#177; 0.053 mg CH4 m-2 stem area h-1, mean &#177; s.e.), even if a small amount of resin is present on the bark. The stems exuded resins to different extent (covering 4.8 &#177; 1.3% of the stem surface area in chambers), partly as a result of smoothening of rough surface layers of dead bark for chamber installation. However, even spruce stems without obvious &#8220;injuries&#8221; released small amounts of resins for unknown reasons (response to drought, bark-beetle attack, etc.?). The incubated resin samples consistently consumed CH4 (-12.0 &#177; 1.7 mg CH4 m-2 resin area h-1). Moreover, the detected stem CH4 uptake negatively correlated with the resin occurrence in the stem chambers (R&#178; = 0.884). After re-calculation of the stem fluxes to resin area, the CH4 consumption rates of stems and resin samples were in the same order of magnitude at median level (-13.2 and -12.0 mg CH4 m-2 resin area h-1, resp.).Concluded, the spruce resins appear to be a very strong and until now undiscovered sink for CH4. Even one small droplet of resins on bark can turn the known negligible CH4 exchange of intact spruce stems into strong CH4 sinks, having thus severe impact on the overall forest CH4 balance. This consumption potential of fresh resins should be considered by estimation of forest ecosystem CH4 balance especially in areas, where resin bleeding is widely spread or is to be expected (bark-beetle areas, drought events, tree harvest, clear-cutting).&#160;AcknowledgementThis research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (17-18112Y) and National Sustainability Program I (LO1415). We thank Prof. Thorsten Grams for all his kind support, and Jan Hrdli&#269;ka and Thomas Feuerbach for their technical support.&#160;&#160;

Download Full-text

SPME collection and GC-MS analysis of volatiles emitted during the attack of male Polygraphus poligraphus (Coleoptera, Curcolionidae) on Norway spruce

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C ◽

10.1515/znc-2015-5035 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 70 (9-10) ◽

pp. 265-273 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rizan Rahmani ◽

Erik Hedenström ◽

Martin Schroeder

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Enantiomeric Excess ◽

Enantiomeric Purity ◽

Spruce Bark ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Over Time

Abstract Tree mortality caused by bark beetles has increased in recent decades in both Europe and North America. In a large recent outbreak in central Sweden the bark beetle Polygraphus poligraphus was often found together with the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus in killed trees. To increase the understanding of the aggregation behavior of P. poligraphus we used solid phase microextraction (SPME) to collect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from single P. poligraphus males, with and without added females, colonizing Norway spruce stem sections and analyzed the sampled compounds by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). High amounts of terpinen-4-ol, a substance found in the hindguts of P. poligraphus males in earlier studies, were released by colonizing males. The emission of both enantiomers of terpinen-4-ol was monitored by GC-MS over time as the males aged in the absence and presence of females. Single males emitted (R)-(–)-terpinen-4-ol for up to 60 days in high enantiomeric purity but the enantiomeric excess (ee) varied between males, and also for the same individual, over time from 96.3% to 99.3% ee. In the presence of females, males also emitted terpinen-4-ol for up to 50 days but now in lower amounts and with lower enantiomeric purity varying from 67.7% ee to 99.3% ee. Small quantities of other volatile compounds were emitted from the colonizing beetles including cis- and trans-4-thujanol, both of which were previously shown to be present in the hindguts of males. In earlier studies frontalin was found to attract P. poligraphus, but in our study it was not identified among emitted compounds from colonizing beetles.

Download Full-text

Bark beetle outbreak enhances biodiversity and foraging habitat of native bees in alpine landscapes of the southern Rocky Mountains

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-73273-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Seth Davis ◽

Paul R. Rhoades ◽

Andrew J. Mann ◽

Terry Griswold

Keyword(s):

Bark Beetle ◽

Forest Structure ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Large Scale ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Growing Season ◽

Floral Resources ◽

Foraging Habitat ◽

Pollinator Community ◽

Large Scale Disturbance

Abstract Landscape-scale bark beetle outbreaks alter forest structure with direct and indirect effects on plants and animals in forest ecosystems. Using alpine spruce forest and a native bee community as a study system, we tested how tree mortality from bark beetles impacts bee foraging habitats and populations. Bees were collected across the growing season (early-, middle-, and late-season) for two years using passive trapping methods, and collections were used to analyze patterns in species abundances and diversity. Three important findings emerged: (1) forest stands that were post-outbreak had 62% higher floral density and 68% more floral species during peak bloom, respectively, than non-affected stands; (2) bee captures were highest early-season (June) and were not strongly affected by bark beetle outbreak; however, mean number of bee species and Shannon–Weiner diversity were significantly higher in post-outbreak stands and this effect was pronounced early in the growing season. Corresponding analysis of β-diversity indicated higher accumulation of bee biodiversity in post-outbreak stands and a turnover in the ratio of Bombus: Osmia; (3) bee captures were linked to variation in foraging habitat, but number of bee species and diversity were more strongly predicted by forest structure. Our results provide evidence of increased alpine bee biodiversity in post-outbreak stands and increased availability of floral resources. We conclude that large-scale disturbance from bark beetle outbreaks may drive shifts in pollinator community composition through cascading effects on floral resources, mediated via mortality of overstory trees.

Download Full-text

Ecological restoration for biodiversity conservation triggers response of bark beetle pests and their natural predators

Forestry An International Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1093/forestry/cpaa016 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anne-Maarit Hekkala ◽

Simon Kärvemo ◽

Martijn Versluijs ◽

Jan Weslien ◽

Christer Björkman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecological Restoration ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Boreal Forests ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Large Scale ◽

Prescribed Burning ◽

Gap Cutting ◽

Population Sizes ◽

And Function

Abstract The restoration of forest structure and function is increasingly being used in boreal forests in order to halt the loss of biodiversity. Often ecological restoration is aimed at increasing the volume of dead and dying trees to enhance the biodiversity of deadwood-dependent organisms, but it may also increase population sizes of pest bark beetle species, even several years following restoration. Herein, we used a large-scale restoration experiment in Northern Sweden to assess the 5 years post-restoration effects of restorative gap cutting and prescribed burning on the populations of a set of economically harmful pest bark beetles (Ips typographus, Polygraphus poligraphus, Tomicus piniperda and Pityogenes chalcographus) and the most important predators of bark beetles, Thanasimus spp. In addition, we assessed the effects of forest stand characteristics at stand and landscape scale on the abundance of I. typographus. Five years post-restoration, gap-cut stands supported the highest abundances of P. poligraphus and contained the highest count of spruce trees newly attacked by bark beetles. By contrast, prescribed burning generally sustained the lowest abundances of pest bark beetles, especially I. typographus and P. poligraphus, and the highest abundance of their natural predators Thanasimus spp. The population abundance of I. typographus was also positively affected by the area of clear cuts within a 500 m radius from the stand. In conclusion, prescribed burning appears to be a safer method for ecological restoration than gap cutting in the long-term. According to our results, a risk of a local bark beetle outbreak still remains 5 years following the initiation of ecological restoration treatments on spruce-dominated mature gap-cut stands.

Download Full-text

Saproxylic community, guild and species responses to varying pheromone components of a pine bark beetle

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485312000879 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 103 (5) ◽

pp. 497-510 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Iñaki Etxebeste ◽

José L. Lencina ◽

Juan Pajares

Keyword(s):

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Gaussian Model ◽

Aggregation Pheromones ◽

Delayed Response ◽

Beetle Species ◽

Saproxylic Beetle ◽

By Catch ◽

Associated Species

AbstractSome bark beetle species (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) produce aggregation pheromones that allow coordinated attack on their conifer hosts. As a new saproxylic habitat is founded, an assemblage of associated beetles kairomonally respond to bark beetle infochemicals. Ips sexdentatus is one of the major damaging insects of Pinus spp. in Southern Europe. Its response to varying ipsenol (Ie) percentages in relation to ipsdienol (Id) was studied in northwestern Spain, along with the entire saproxylic beetle assemblage captured at multiple-funnel traps. Response profile modeling was undertaken for I.sexdentatus sexes and sex-ratios, associated species and for selected trophic groups using a reference Gaussian model. In addition, the effects on the saproxylic assemblages were analyzed. I. sexdentatus response curve peaked at 22.7% Ie content, while remaining taxa that could be modeled, peaked above ca. 40% Ie. Predator guilds showed a linear relationship with Ie proportion, while competitors showed a delayed response peak. Consequently, species assemblages differed markedly between varying pheromone component mixtures. Given that the evaluated pheromonal proportions mimicked that of logs being colonized by I. sexdentatus, results suggested that the registered differential responses at different levels might provide I.sexdentatus with a temporal window that maximizes conspecific attraction while reducing interference with competitor and predatory guilds. Described responses might help improve the monitoring of the population status of target bark beetles and their associates, but also point toward the by-catch of many natural enemies, as well as rare saproxylic beetle species, interfering with the aims of sustainable forest management.

Download Full-text

Efficacy of synthetic lures for pine bark beetle monitoring

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/139/2021-jfs ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 68 (No. 1) ◽

pp. 19-25

Author(s):

Miloš Knížek ◽

Jan Liška ◽

Adam Véle

Keyword(s):

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ips Typographus ◽

Pine Plantations ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Long Run ◽

Baited Traps ◽

Pine Trees ◽

Ips Sexdentatus

The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantations in central Europe are currently damaged by a large-scale infestation by bark beetles (Scolytinae). Ips acuminatus and Ips sexdentatus are among the most aggressive species causing infestations of pine trees that are currently simultaneously attacked by Ips typographus. In pine plantations prone to damage, it is therefore necessary to carry out the bark beetle monitoring. One of the used methods is the pheromone bark beetle trapping using synthetic lures. The efficacy of synthetic lures differs. We tested the efficacy of commercially available lures used in the protection of pine trees. In total, we deployed 10 trap series, each consisting of traps with eight different lures and two unbaited traps (controls). Ips acuminatus and I. sexdentatus were most abundantly captured in Pheagr-IAC- and Sexowit-baited traps. Interestingly, the spruce species I. typographus was also captured and most often found in traps with Pheagr-IAC and Erosowit Tube lures. The number of captured beetles was consistent with the gradation phase of bark beetles. Our results suggest the suitability of pheromone traps for bark beetle monitoring. The use of Sexowit can be recommended especially in southwestern Moravia, where I. sexdentatus occurs in high numbers in the long run. In other parts of the Czech Republic, Pheagr-IAC alone can be used with sufficient efficacy. The use of the Erosowit Tube lure is also suitable for I. typographus and I. sexdentatus monitoring.

Download Full-text

Mite communities (Acari, Mesostigmata) associated with Ips typographus (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in managed and natural Norway spruce stands in Central Europe

Open Life Sciences ◽

10.2478/s11535-012-0070-z ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 910-916 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Dariusz Gwiazdowicz ◽

Jacek Kamczyc ◽

Ewa Teodorowicz ◽

Jerzy Błoszyk

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Management Practices ◽

Mite Species ◽

Ips Typographus ◽

Ne Poland ◽

Set Up ◽

Mite Communities ◽

The Impact

AbstractPrevious studies have suggested that forest management practices can influence bark beetle populations as well as those of some associated insects. However, the impact on bark beetle-associated mites, which occur in bark beetle galleries in large numbers, have not yet been studied. The objective of this study was to compare mesostigmatid mite communities associated with the Norway spruce pest Ips typographus in managed and natural forest stands separated by spruce-free belt. The study sites were located in Białowieża National Park (NE Poland) as well as in the Izery Mountains (Szklarska Poręba Forest District — SW Poland), which were destroyed in 1981–1987 by an ecological disaster. In total, 30 Borregard pipe traps containing the commercial attractant Ipsodor W (Chemipan, Poland) were set up at each study site and collected in August 2010. In total, 7214 bark beetles and 1804 mites were collected which were classified into 16 species. We observed differences in the total abundance of mites as well as the total number of recorded mite species. The communities were quite similar, and were generally dominated by populations of Trichouropoda polytricha, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus and Uroobovella ipidis. The Shannon and Evenness indexes as well as the mean number of mites per sample were not significantly different between forests.

Download Full-text