Saturday 20 May 2017

What You Need To Know About Forest Health And Entomologic Threats

By Daniel Moore


Generally, forests are considered to be essential to animals other than their commonly known benefits to the humans. Usually, they stabilize and support the ecosystems, they are an important part in carbon cycle, and also support the livelihoods among many other benefits. Due to their important roles to the ecosystems, it become essential for forest health and entomologic threats to be monitored and dealt with, so as to protect the ecosystems.

Currently, vast forestlands remain under pressure from pollution, overexploitation, agricultural practice expansion, and intensification as well as population pressure. Combined with the effects of climate change, forestlands are even threatened further with threats posed by insects. All these are factors that influence the health of the forests and thus impairing its ability to maintain the ecosystems.

Among the different natural and the non-natural pressures faced by the forests one is the entomologic threats. Usually, insects are beneficial and destructive to the forests as well. Their impact result in a healthy, dwindled or unhealthy forest. First, insects usually offer several benefits to the forests, as well as keeping them healthy.

The first benefit is that some of the native insects are usually beneficial in maintaining and reducing aging of the trees. As a result, the forests become more productive and are able to support a healthy ecosystem. When there is large infestation by insects regularly, the forests are renewed. The old trees are usually destroyed which result in releasing the nutrients stored in them and utilized to support the new trees.

Native insect infestations as well support the development of healthy forests by eliminating any sick or unhealthy tree. Commonly the elimination of the unhealthy or sick trees implies that only genetically superior trees and those free of diseases reproduce and form new healthy forestlands. This development of healthy forests can then support healthy ecosystems.

On the other hand, insects usually aid in eliminating competition between trees hence making ecosystems to be more productive. By destroying and eliminating the sick, aged as well as the unhealthy trees, insects will reduce unnecessary competition for nutrients and, on the other hand, increase the nutrient supply to the residual trees. Insects especially the native ones also aid in pollination of trees. Cross-pollination particularly aided by the insects ensure that only genetically superior trees will thrive.

Nevertheless, insects also result in other entomologic dangers to the existence and life of forests. First, insect invasions often reduce forest area by attacking the unhealthy and healthy trees. However, this can be seen as temporary since trees always regrow. The alien insects and disease pests are also threats to forests because they destroy trees, which result in challenges controlling the population. Again, the alien insects are also difficult to predict their trend.

Alien insects usually spread rapidly with the consequence being a trail of vast and extensive damages to trees. This is usually a threat in places where the insects that are invading the forests and causing disease have no existent natural enemies that aid in keeping their populations in check. The other instance, trees, and other organisms have no natural way to resist the invading insects.




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