Learn More About Forest Health And Entomologic Threats

By Daniel Moore


Generally, forests are considered to be essential to animals other than their commonly known benefits to the humans. Usually, they stabilize and support the ecosystems, they are an important part in carbon cycle, and also support the livelihoods among many other benefits. Due to their important roles to the ecosystems, it become essential for forest health and entomologic threats to be monitored and dealt with, so as to protect the ecosystems.

Currently, vast forestlands remain under pressure from pollution, overexploitation, agricultural practice expansion, and intensification as well as population pressure. Combined with the effects of climate change, forestlands are even threatened further with threats posed by insects. All these are factors that influence the health of the forests and thus impairing its ability to maintain the ecosystems.

Among the different natural and the non-natural pressures faced by the forests one is the entomologic threats. Usually, insects are beneficial and destructive to the forests as well. Their impact result in a healthy, dwindled or unhealthy forest. First, insects usually offer several benefits to the forests, as well as keeping them healthy.

First, a number of native insects are beneficial in terms of maintaining and reducing the aging of trees. This usually makes forests to be more productive and have the ability to support healthy ecosystems. Whenever there are wide outbreaks of insects occurring regularly, forests become renewed. Old trees are often destroyed leading to the release of the nutrients that are stored within them to be used in supporting the new trees.

Native insect infestations as well support the development of healthy forests by eliminating any sick or unhealthy tree. Commonly the elimination of the unhealthy or sick trees implies that only genetically superior trees and those free of diseases reproduce and form new healthy forestlands. This development of healthy forests can then support healthy ecosystems.

At the same time, insects also help in eliminating competition among trees, thereby making the ecosystems more productive. By eliminating or destroying aged, sick, and unhealthy trees, insects helps to reduce the unnecessary competition for the nutrients, while increasing nutrient supply to the remaining trees. Insects, more so the native ones usually help in pollinating trees. Usually, cross-pollination especially when assisted by the insects ensures that only the genetically superior trees can thrive.

Nevertheless, insects also result in other entomologic dangers to the existence and life of forests. First, insect invasions often reduce forest area by attacking the unhealthy and healthy trees. However, this can be seen as temporary since trees always regrow. The alien insects and disease pests are also threats to forests because they destroy trees, which result in challenges controlling the population. Again, the alien insects are also difficult to predict their trend.

Alien insects usually spread rapidly with the consequence being a trail of vast and extensive damages to trees. This is usually a threat in places where the insects that are invading the forests and causing disease have no existent natural enemies that aid in keeping their populations in check. The other instance, trees, and other organisms have no natural way to resist the invading insects.




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