Southern Pine Beetles in Central Hardwood Forests: Frequency, Spatial Extent, and Changes to Forest Structure

Abstract

The southern pine beetle (SPB) is a major disturbance in pine forests throughout the range of southern yellow pines, and is a significant influence on forests throughout several Central Hardwood Region (CHR) ecoregions. At endemic levels, SPB colonizes individual stressed or lightning-struck trees, acting as a natural thinning agent. During outbreaks, tree mortality from SPB may impact CHR forests by indirectly converting stands to other species types, or changing the stand age and structure. Southern pine beetle can also create disturbance in stands by causing mortality in large clusters of pine trees or by hastening the succession from pine-hardwood forests to late-successional forest by killing single or groups of overstory pine trees. Populations are cyclical and have traditionally impacted CHR forests every 7–25 years, depending on location. The most significant outbreaks in this region in the past 65 years occurred 1974–1976 and 1997–2003, with the most recent impacting more than 405,000 ha, and caused an estimated economic loss of more than $1 billion across six states. In this chapter we examine the spatial extent and frequency of SPB outbreaks in the CHR. We also discuss the severity of disturbance caused by SPB to forests in this region over the past 65 years; how this disturbance has altered the resultant forests; and the potential impacts of changes in climate and anthropogenic effects on preventing infestations and reducing levels of tree mortality attributed to SPB.