Budworm

Weather appears to be a critical factor in determining budworm distribution. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Given this weather/climate sensitivity of budworm, it was inferred that a warming climate would be associated with northward movement of spruce budworm outbreaks [23]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Before about 1990, spruce budworm had not appeared able to reproduce in the northern boreal forest of central Alaska. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The absolute distribution limits of spruce budworm generally follow that of white spruce throughout the boreal forest, and there are records of severe defoliation within 150 km of the Arctic Circle [16]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

During irruptions, there can be more than 22 million budworm larvae per hectare in suitable forest stands [18]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

In that year, after a series of warm summers, a spruce budworm irruption occurred in the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research site and visible canopy damage spread over tens of thousands of hectares of nearby white spruce forest. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Populations of budworm have persisted in this area near the Arctic Circle, including a minor outbreak in 2002 – 2003. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Finally, higher temperatures and drought can shift the timing of budworm reproduction so that natural parasitoid predators are no longer effective in limiting budworm numbers [22]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Predation by birds on spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana: functional, numerical, and total responses. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Elevated summer temperatures increase budworm reproductive output. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), is a defoliating insect affecting conifer trees, generally in the southern and central boreal region of the United States and Canada. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The budworm is generally present in the forest at low background numbers. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Irruptions of budworm generally follow drought, and outbreaks also start after hot, dry summers [19]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Conversely, cold weather can stop a budworm outbreak. ❋ Unknown (2009)

These include spruce budworm, forest tent caterpillar, jack pine budworm (Choristoneura pinus pinus), and gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). ❋ Unknown (2009)

The mapped area of forest affected by spruce budworm, spruce coneworm (Dioryctria reniculelloides), and larch sawfly (Pristiphora erichsonii) defoliation mapped throughout Interior Alaska increased, totaling over 300,000 ha of combined infestations during the period 1991 to 1996 [25]. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The introduction of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), balsam wooly-adelgid (A. piceae), as well as dogwood anthracnost fungi is altering the forest composition and habitat composition. ❋ Unknown (2008)

His earlier work on spruce budworm outbreaks in northern boreal forests had led him to a complex and dynamic view of ecosystems that eventually took over from the more “equilibrium” concepts that had held sway earlier. ❋ Unknown (2007)

He was also concerned with how humans interacted with ecosystems and why their attempts at “management” failed so miserably (the spruce budworm/boreal forest was only one example). ❋ Unknown (2007)

Changes in genes due to selection pressures from pesticides: The mosquitoes that are resistant to DDT have evolved multiple copies of the esterase genes that enable them to detoxify it; the cotton budworm has altered the target of the poison, and houseflies have altered the proteins that transport the poison. ❋ Unknown (2007)