An Emerging Triad: Air Pollution, Beetles, and Wildfire

This Science Perspectives report, from the Pacific Southwest Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service, discusses biochemical changes in trees stressed by drought and air pollution. Such changes may attract bark beetles, overwhelming the trees' defense mechanisms and increasing their vulnerability to disease, death and the promotion of wildfires. These forest impacts are exacerbated by climate change.   This brief (6 page) report is good introduction to to the relationship between climate, forest health, wildfire, and bark beetle outbreaks.