Road Ecology and Forest Insects

THE EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT of road networks is changing the landscape within British Columbia and these changes are being reflected within the functioning of ecological communities. Forest insect pest disturbances are important biotic disturbances for the natural regeneration of forests and they can be affected by dynamic changes to their surrounding environment. However, the effects of these changes might not always be equal across the species-level. This study attempts to understand how the presence of roads affects the distribution of different forest insect pest types within British Columbia by quantifying and investigating their road association.