The extent, severity, and timing of recent defoliation outbreaks are partly responses to human-caused changes from fire exclusion, grazing, and logging practices. The diversity and abundance of many insects and other arthropods are strongly influenced by forest structure. As a result, human-induced disturbance events, such as prescribed fire and thinning, can alter the composition of these communities. For example, changes in habitat structure associated with prescribed fire have been shown to reduce the abundance of some litter-dwelling arthropods while increasing the abundance of others. Understanding how changes in forest structure associated with management activities affect arthropod communities, and the ecological processes that these organisms influence, can enhance the effectiveness of land management decisions.
Field studies are essential to resolving problems associated with forest insects and diseases.
We focus on studies that can design and test options for managing forests to be resistant to outbreak situations as well as mitigate adverse affects during outbreaks. Adverse impacts of root diseases are heavy in both western and eastern Oregon and Washington forests, and in SE Alaska. Unacceptable damage from insects is a particular issue in eastern Oregon and Washington forests, and in south central Alaska. Clients for solutions to these issues include environmental groups, forest industry, the public, citizen advisory groups, and land managers representing lands of all ownerships and jurisdiction.