Introduction: In the United States of America, forest pests are associated with climate variability. Such studies are scarce in Mexico.
Objectives: To create a data base of historical outbreaks of bark beetles and analyze their relationship with drought.
Materials and methods: Historical records of outbreaks of bark beetles were obtained from official documents in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Dendroclimatic indices were used as a climate proxy. The relationship between pest outbreaks and climate was analyzed with the Superpose Epoch Analysis (SEA).
Results and discussion: A database of 120 years (1895-2015) of bark beetle outbreaks was created. The most frequent species were Dendroctonus mexicanus Hopkins, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann and Dendroctonus adjunctus Blandford. A total of 106 records of outbreaks in 15 states of Mexico were recorded during the period 1903-2015; 16 outbreaks in Guatemala during the period 1895-2013, and 15 outbreaks in Honduras during the period 1962-2015. Historically, outbreaks were recorded in years with below-average precipitation (550 mm) and have increased since 1970. The SEA determined that bark beetle outbreaks in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras were recorded during dry years (P < 0.05) with non-significant positive values (P > 0.05) of NINO 3 and PDSI (Palmer Drought Severity Index) and significant negative indices (P < 0.01) of NINO 3 and PDSI in the year prior to the outbreak, conditions involving intense drought.
Conclusion: A significant relationship was determined between bark beetle outbreaks and drought conditions for the last 120 years.
1.Univ Juarez Estado Durango, Fac Agr & Zootecnia, Div Estudios Posgrad, Carretera Gomez Palacio Tlahualilo Km 32, Venice 35000, Durango, Mexico 2.INIFAP CENIMASPA, Km 6-5 Margen Derecha Canal Sacramento, Gomez Palacio 35140, Durango, Mexico 3.INIFAP Campo Expt Pabellon, Pabellon De Arteaga 20670, Aguascalientes, Mexico 4.Univ Autonoma Queretaro, Fac Ciencias Nat, Queretaro 76230, Mexico 5.Univ Autonoma Agr Antonio Narro, Dept Forestal, Saltillo 25315, Coahuila, Mexico 6.Univ Autonoma Chihuahua, Fac Ciencias Agr & Forestales, Delicias 33000, Chihuahua, Mexico
Recommended Citation:
Cervantes-Martinez, Rosalinda,Cerano-Paredes, Julian,Sanchez-Martinez, Guillermo,et al. Historical bark beetle outbreaks in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras (1895-2015) and their relationship with droughts[J]. REVISTA CHAPINGO SERIE CIENCIAS FORESTALES Y DEL AMBIENTE,2019-01-01,25(2):269-290