Abundance of Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) along altitudinal transects in Mexico: Implications of climatic change for forest conservation.

Abstract

Bark beetle infestations have historically been primary drivers of stand thinning in Mexican pine forests. However, bark beetle impacts have become increasingly extensive and intense, apparently associated with climate change. Our objective was to describe the possible association between abundance of bark beetle flying populations and the occurrence of given value intervals of temperature, precipitation and their balance, in order to have a better comprehension of the climatic space that might trigger larger insect abundances, an issue relevant in the context of the ongoing climatic change. Here, we monitored the abundance of two of the most important bark beetle species in Mexico, Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus. We sampled 147 sites using pheromone-baited funnel traps along 24 altitudinal transects in 11 Mexican states, from northwestern Chihuahua to southeastern Chiapas, from 2015 to 2017. Through mixed model analysis, we found that the optimum Mean Annual Temperatures were 17°C-20°C for D. frontalis in low-elevation pine-oak forest, while D. mexicanus had two optimal intervals: 11-13°C and 15-18°C. Higher atmospheric Vapor Pressure Deficit (≥ 1.0) was correlated with higher D. frontalis abundances, indicating that warming-amplified drought stress intensifies trees' vulnerability to beetle attack. As temperatures and drought stress increase further with projected future climatic changes, it is likely that these Dendroctonus species will increase tree damage at higher elevations. Pine forests in Mexico are an important source of livelihood for communities inhabiting those areas, so providing tools to tackle obstacles to forest growth and health posed by changing climate is imperative.