Attack and brood production by the Douglas-fir beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Pinaceae), following a wildfire

In 1994, ground fire ignited in forests of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca, on Beaver Mountain, Utah, USA. The Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae, attacked a range of moderately fire-injured host conifers in 1995. Logistic regression models run for 1995 data illustrated that one year after the fire event, the Douglas-fir beetle selected and attacked large-diameter Douglas-fir with 60-80% bole char, 60-80% crown volume scorch, and 50-70% probability of mortality due to fire. In 1996, beetle preference shifted to smaller-diameter trees with lighter fire injury, because most large, fire-damaged conifers were colonized by beetles in 1995. Although beetle populations did not reach outbreak proportions outside the fire boundary, host selection shifted to green trees in 1997 along the burn perimeter. Log linear analysis indicated that increased brood production was conditioned by increased diameter and moderate fire damage to the trees.