Summary:
Published in The Forestry Chronicle 101(2): 233-249
This paper is the second in a series on the topic of contemporary issues in Québec’s temperate forest. It considers biological invasions that may either cause new and significant mortality among indigenous trees or substantially alter those species’ regeneration processes in the forest. Our review of government authority websites and scientific literature led us to identify 11 species that are vulnerable or highly vulnerable to exotic or emergent pests, 14 that are less vulnerable and 11 in an intermediate situation. The most vulnerable species do not include Québec’s three most abundant temperate hardwood species, namely sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh. ), red maple (Acer rubrum L.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.). They do, however, include certain maple forest companion species. We also identified three animal groups, two tree species, three shrub species and five herbaceous species groups that, if they were to invade the forest, could have significant consequences for entire stands as opposed to specific tree species, by disturbing the undergrowth. Invasions such as these enhance the risk of losing biodiversity and forest productivity, thereby making productivity less predictable and creating challenges for assisted tree migration initiatives. On the other hand, they offer a potential opportunity for mitigating the invasiveness of certain other species such as the American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.).
File:
Permanent identifier (DOI):
Sector(s):
Forests
Catégorie(s):
Scientific Article
Theme(s):
Forest Ecology, Forestry Research, Forests, Silviculture
Departmental author(s):
Author(s):
GUILLEMETTE, François, Steve BÉDARD, Louis DUCHESNE and Rock OUIMET
Year of publication:
2025
Format:
Keyword(s):
écologie forestière, forest ecology, sylviculture et rendement des forêts naturelles – peuplements de feuillus, silviculture and yield of natural forests - hardwood stands, article scientifique, scientific article, exotique, envahissante, allochtone, ravageur forestier, insecte, maladie, exotic, invasive, alien, pest, insect, disease, non-native