The mountain pine beetle: a synthesis of biology, management and impacts on lodgepole pine.

Les Safranyik and Bill Wilson The mountain pine beetle is the most damaging biotic disturbance agent in mature lodgepole pine in western Canada. The current beetle outbreak in British Columbia is unprecedented in scale and will have unavoidable ecological and economic impacts. Unfortunately, this beetle outbreak may be a harbinger to an increased pest threat to Canadian forests. The abundance of mature age class timber in the inventory and a trend to warmer, drier summers and infrequent cold winter weather can combine to alter the balance between pest and host in forest ecosystems.