Researchers estimate the total forest biomass loss attributed to non-native pests in the United States. Non-native pests--insects and diseases--can adversely affect vital ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, provided by forests worldwide. Though the large-scale impacts of individual pests have been assessed, estimates of the aggregate impacts of all non-native pests on tree mortality and forest carbon budgets are limited. Songlin Fei and colleagues used data from more than 92,000 field plots throughout the continental United States to quantify the biomass loss associated with the 15 most damaging non-native forest pests. The authors estimated that together these 15 species contributed to the death of approximately 5.5 TgC per year above background mortality rates. Compensatory growth of non-host trees was observed 2-5 decades following initial pest invasion of a region. Given that most of these pests have not yet invaded their hosts' full ranges, the authors estimate that approximately 40% of the total live forest biomass in the continental United States is at risk of damage from these pests in the future. The results provide insight into the impact of non-native pests on forest carbon budgets and could inform future policy measures aimed at protecting US forests against non-native pests, according to the authors.
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Article #18-20601: "Biomass losses resulting from insect and disease invasions in US forests," by Songlin Fei, Randall S. Morin, Christopher M. Oswalt, and Andrew M. Liebhold.
MEDIA CONTACT: Songlin Fei, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; tel: 765-496-2199, 814-880-4188; e-mail: sfei@purdue.edu
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences