FUNGAL-INSECTS INTERACTIONS

Wood living insects may play an important role in the dispersion of fungi in forest ecosystems by carrying spores between different trees and forest stands.

Traces after bark beetle galleries and darkening of the wood due to blue stain fungi (photo by Jan Stenlid).

Many bark beetles are known as pests and may also vector pathogenic fungi as they bore through the tree bark to lay their eggs. One example is the blue stain fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi causing the Dutch Elm disease, which is spread by Elm bark beetles (Scolytus spp.). Several bark beetles associated with coniferous forests also vector pathogenic fungi. The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, is by itself a serious pest and may also cause secondary problems by introducing pathogenic fungi, such as Ceratocystis polonica to the forest stand.

In our department, we study the interaction between wood living insects and fungi. We try to answer questions such as which species of fungi are vectored by insects and how does this affect the disease incidence of the single trees as well as of forest stands. We also study the role of insects in spreading and facilitating establishment of rot fungi in dead wood.

Collaboration

We collaborate with the entomologist at the Department of ecology, SLU and are involved in large scale project together with Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration and Institute of Botany, Lithuania.

People involved:

Jan Stenlid (Professor)
Rimvydas Vasaitis (Researcher)
Katarina Ihrmark (Researcher)
Ylva Persson (Researcher)

Our projects

Ability of bark beetles to spread basidiomycetes
Contact: Ylva Persson and Jan Stenlid

Do bark beetles facilitate the establishment of rot fungi in dead wood?
Contact: Ylva Persson and Jan Stenlid

Phenology, ecology and feeding behaviour of bark beetles and the large pine weevil and pathogenicity of the associated fungi
This study is part of the project ‘Forest regeneration and sustainability at the Forest / Steppe border, aimed to control desertification in Ukraine’.
Contact: Rimvydas Vasaitis
 
Interaction between insects and fungi involved in decomposition of burned snags, logs and stumps, and their ecological importance
This study is part of the project ‘Forest regeneration and sustainability at the Forest / Steppe border, aimed to control desertification in Ukraine’.
Contact: Rimvydas Vasaitis

Woodwasp Fungal Symbiosis
Contact:Jan Stenlid