Insect alert: Europe's trees are dying due to climate change!

Insect alert: Europe's trees are dying due to climate change!

In recent years, worrying trends have emerged in European forests: tree mortality is increasing, and this is mainly due to an increase in insect populations. An extensive international research team from 17 European countries discovered this in a study led by the Czech Agricultural University in Prague. Conifers are particularly affected, while damage to deciduous trees is increasingly decreasing. Report this MDR and Sunny side.

The research team collected data from 15 countries over a period of more than 20 years to study the influence of insects, particularly wood-boring beetles such as the printing beetle. Henrik Hartmann, head of the Institute for Forest Protection at the Julius Kühn Institute, is involved in this important study. The focus of the reporting is the finding that higher insect infestations are mainly observed in warmer and drier regions of Europe - a clear indication of the effects of climate change.

Climate change and tree species selection

The results show that damage caused by bark and wood-boring beetles to conifers has increased over the course of the 21st century. Coniferous forests are particularly affected in warm, dry areas, while defoliation by moths has again decreased in Europe. Even species that were previously considered resilient, such as pine and silver fir, are increasingly showing damage from insects. This has a direct impact on forest management, evidenced by the study, which suggests adaptation measures and recommendations for choosing climate-resilient tree species.

An important aspect of the research is the need for better data exchange between European countries. Coordinated monitoring of forest risks and harmonized data collection are crucial to ensure early detection and appropriate adaptation strategies. The analysis of 1,361 time series on 50 insect species is intended to provide a solid basis for future research and strategies.

A look into the future

The demand for climate-resilient tree species, especially deciduous trees, is becoming increasingly louder. It is not just the choice of tree species that is important, but also the correct management and consideration of different disturbance trends and levels of danger. The study, which was published in the journal “Global Change Biology”, provides important guidance for the forestry industry. It remains to be hoped that those responsible will implement the knowledge gained to ensure a sustainable future for Europe's forests.