Ecosystem consequences of spruce budworm outbreaks under a changing climate

Description

Initial spruce budworm outbreak centres on the North Shore of Quebec have appeared further north compared to previous outbreaks. The boreal black spruce zone which experienced relatively low herbivory in the past is now suffering severe defoliation. Climate warming can alter the phenology of both the insect and its host trees, potentially exacerbating this effect. We are using an inter-disciplinary approach (entomologists, forest ecologists, foresters, pathologists, tree physiologists, soil scientists and Carbon and DSS modellers) in order to get a global understanding of the impact of this disturbance on the black spruce ecosystem.

Collaborators

• Dan Kneeshaw, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
• Mathieu Neau, graduate student, UQAM
• Jorge Monerris, graduate student, UQAM