Reading: Bark Beetle Outbreaks in Bhutan

old tree covered with green moss near fresh grass with mushrooms
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A reading that discusses ecosystems, biomes, food chains, and food webs and how the balance of an ecosystem can be disrupted by climate change induced insect outbreak. This reading by Dr. Kaka Tshering and Chimi Tshering, Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER), Bhutan; and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria discusses  how global warming can potentially impact ecosystems in the forests of Bhutan. It further describes strategies to predict climate change induced bark beetle outbreaks in the forest ecosystems of Bhutan using GIS, Climate, and Phenology data. 

Students will learn about the life cycle of the bark beetle and how bark beetle outbreaks tend to occur due to increased temperatures. They will further understand the factors responsible for the susceptibility of forest ecosystems to bark beetle outbreaks in Bhutan and how climate and phenology data can be used to mitigate the effects.  

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change induced warming affect bark beetle outbreaks? 
  2. Discuss how frequent bark beetle outbreaks have made forest ecosystems of Bhutan unstable.
  3. Discuss how the use of GIS, phenology, and climate data helped to preempt bark beetle outbreaks and protect the susceptible forest ecosystems of Bhutan.

About the tool

Tool NamePredicting Bark Beetle Outbreaks using GIS, Climate and Phenology Data
DisciplineBiological Sciences, Environmental Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineEcosystems, Food webs, Bark Beetle, Phenology, Forest Ecosystem
Climate Topic Climate and the Biosphere
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate
LocationBhutan
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byKaka Tshering and Chimi Tshering
Hosted atUgyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER), Bhutan; and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria
Linkhttp://www.uwice.gov.bt/admin_uwice/publications/publication_files/Reports/2018/Predicting%20Bark%20Beetle%20Outbreaks%20using%20GIS,%20Climate%20and%20Phenology%20Data_UWICER%20Technical%20Note%202018.pdf
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic
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