Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Natural regulation of herbivorous forest insect populations

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

From basic principles of positive/negative feedback control and classical density-dependent/independent population theory we outline a general explanation for the regulation of herbivore populations in forested ecosystems. We identify three fundamental patterns of behavior; (i) populations regulated close to equilibrium (“tight” regulation) by fast-acting negative feedback processes, (ii) populations regulated by delayed negative feedback processes (“loose” regulation) which often exhibit wide-amplitude density cycles, and (iii) populations characterized by positive feedback processes over certain density ranges that may exhibit divergent (metastable) behavior. We then discuss the effects of these different kinds of herbivore population behavior on the dynamics of forest ecosystems and explore some elemental models of herbivore/forest interactions. Finally, using the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, as an example, we demonstrate how the theory can be used to explain the dynamics of specific herbivore populations and to develop general strategies for managing destructive herbivore outbreaks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allee WC (1931) Animal aggregations. Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Amman GD (1972) Mountain pine beetle brood production in relation to thickness of lodgepole pine phloem. J Econ Ent 65:138–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson RM, May RM (1980) Infectious diseases and population cycles of forest insects. Science 210:658–661

    Google Scholar 

  • Auer C (1975) Jährliche und langfristige Dichteveränderungen bei Lärchenwicklerpopulationen (Zeiraphera diniana Gn.) ausserhalb des Optimumgebietes. Mitt Schweiz Entomol Ges 48:47–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakke A (1982) The utilization of aggregation pheromone for the control of the spruce bark beetle. In: Leonhardt BA, Beroza M (eds), Insect pheromone technology: Chemistry and Applications. Am Chem Soc Symp Ser No 190, Wash, D.C., pp 219–229

  • Baltensweiler W, Benz G, Bovey P, Delucchi V (1977) Dynamics of larch bud moth populations. Ann Rev Entomol 22:79–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Benz G (1974) Negative Rückkoppelung durch Raum- und Nahrungskonkurrenz sowie zyklische Veränderung der Nahrungsgrundlage als Regelprinzip in der Populationsdynamik des Grauen Lärchenwicklers, Zeiraphera diniana (Guenée). Z Angew Entomol 76:196–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Benz G (1977) Insect induced resistance as a means of self defense of plants. In: Breeding for resistance to insects and mites. SROP/WPRS Bull. No. 3, pp 155–159

  • Berryman AA (1973) Population dynamics of the fir engraver, Scolytus ventralis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). I. Analysis of population behavior and survival from 1964 to 1971. Can Entomol 105:1465–1488

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA (1978a) Towards a theory of insect epidemiology. Res Popul Ecol 19:181–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA (1978b) Population cycles of the Douglas-fir tussock moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae): The time-delay hypothesis. Can Entomol 110:513–518

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA (1979) Dynamics of bark beetle populations: Analysis of dispersal and redistribution. Mitt Schweiz Entomol Ges 52:227–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA (1981) Population systems. A general introduction. Plenum Press, N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA (1982) Population dynamics of bark beetles. In: Mitton JB, Sturgeon KB (eds), Bark beetles of North American conifers. A system for the study of evolutionary ecology. Univ. Texas Press, Austin, pp 264–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA, Brown GC (1981) The habitat equation: A useful concept in population modeling. In: Chapman DG, Gallucci VF (eds), Quantitative population dynamics. Int Coop Publ House Fairland, Maryland pp 11–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryman AA, Stenseth NC, Wollkind DJ (1984) Metastability in forest ecosystems infested by bark beetles. Res Popul Ecol 27:13–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Brookes MH, Stark RW, Campbell RW (1978)_The Douglas-fir tussock moth: A synthesis. U.S.D.A. For Serv, Tech Bull 1585

  • Campbell RW (1975) The gypsy moth and its natural enemies. U.S.D.A. For Serv, Agric Info Bull 381

  • Campbell RW (1979) Gypsy moth: Forest influence. U.S.D.A. For Serv, Agric Info Bull 423

  • Campbell RW, Sloan RJ (1977) Release of gypsy moth populations from innocuous levels. Environ Entomol 6:323–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell RW, Sloan RJ (1978) Numerical bimodality among North American gypsy moth populations. Environ Entomol 7:641–646

    Google Scholar 

  • Chitty CD (1967) The natural selection of selfregulatory behavior in animal populations. Proc Ecol Soc Austr 2:51–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark LR (1964) Population dynamics of Cardiaspina albitextura (Psyllidae). Aust J Zool 12:362–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawley MJ (1983) Herbivory: The dynamics of animal-plant interactions. Blackwell Sci Publ, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischlin A, Baltensweiler W (1979) Systems analysis of the larch bud moth system. Part 1: The larch-larch bud moth relationship. Mitt Schweiz Entomol Ges 52:273–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Fretwell SD (1972) Populations in a seasonal environment. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Géri C (1980) Études sur les populations de processionnaire du pin (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) Schiff., Lepidoptera Thaumetopoeidae. Ecologia Mediter 6:151–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardy YJ, Lafond A, Hamel L (1983) The epidemiology of the current spruce budworm outbreak in Quebec. For Sci 29:715–725

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassell MP (1978) The dynamics of arthropod predator-prey systems. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Haukioja E (1980) On the role of plant defences in the fluctuation of herbivore populations. Oikos 35:202–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Heikkenen HJ (1981) The influence of red pine site quality on damage by the European pine shoot moth. In: Hedden R (ed), Hazard-rating systems in forest insect pest management. U.S.D.A., For Serv, Gen Tech Rept WO-27 pp 35–44

  • Holling CS (1965) The functional response of predators to prey density and its role in mimicry and population regulation. Mem Entomol Soc Can 45:1–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Holling CS, Jones DD, Clark WC (1977) Ecological policy design: A case study of forest and pest management. In: Norton GA, Holling CS (eds), Proceedings of a conference on pest management. Int Inst Appl Syst Analys, Laxenburg, Austria pp 13–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Horntvedt R, Christiansen E, Solheim H, Wang S (1984) Artificial inoculation with Ips typographus — associated blue-stain fungi can kill healthy Norway spruce trees. Medd Nor Inst Skogsforsk 38(4):1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Huffaker CB (1958) The concept of balance in nature. Proc X Int Congr Entomol 2:625–636

    Google Scholar 

  • Isaev AS, Khlebopros RG (1977) Inertial and non-inertial factors regulating forest insect population density. In: Norton GA, Holling CS (eds), Proceedings of a conference on pest management. Int Inst Appl Syst Analys, Laxenburg, Austria pp 317–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Isaev AS, Khlebopros RG, Kondakov YP (1974) Regularities of the insects number dynamics. Forestry 3:27–42 (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Isaev AS, Khlebopros RG, Nedorezov LV, Kondakov YP, Kiselev VV (1984) Population dynamics of forest insects. Nauka Publ. House, Novosibirsk, USSR (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Keith LB (1963) Wildlife's ten-year cycle. Univ. Wisconsin Press, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson S, Tenow O (1980) Needle-eating insects and grazing dynamics in a mature scotch pine plantation in central Sweden. Ecol Bull (Stockholm) 32:269–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Leslie PH (1948) Some further notes on the use of matrices in population mathematics. Biometrica 35:213–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotka AJ (1925) Elements of physical biology. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Martignoni ME (1957) Contribution alla conoscenza di una granulosi di Eucosma griseana (Hübner). Mitt Schweiz Anst Forstl Vers Wes 32:371–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson WJ, Addy ND (1975) Phytophagous insects as regulators of forest primary production. Science (Wash., D.C.) 190:515–522

    Google Scholar 

  • May RM (1973) Stability and complexity in model ecosystems. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • McLeod JM (1979) Discontinuous stability in a sawfly life system and its relevance to pest management strategies. In: Waters WE (ed), Selected papers in Forest Entomology from the XV International Congress of Entomology. U.S. Forest Serv Gen Tech Rept WO-8 pp 68–81

  • Morris RF (1959) Single-factor analysis in population dynamics. Ecology 40:580–588

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris RF (ed) (1963) The dynamics of epidemic spruce budworm populations. Mem Entomol Soc Can 31:1–332

  • Ohmart CP, Stewart LG, Thomas JR (1983) Leaf consumption by insects in three Eucalyptus forest types in Southeastern Australia and their role in short-term nutrient cycling. Oecologia (Berlin) 59:322–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterman RM (1978) The ecological role of the mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests. In: Berryman AA, Amman GD, Stark RW, Kibbee DL (eds), Theory and practice of mountain pine beetle management in lodgepole pine forests. For Wildl and Range Expt Sta, Univ Idaho, Moscow pp 16–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Pschorn-Walcher H (1977) Biological control of forest insects. Ann Rev Entomol 22:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Readshaw JL (1965) A theory of phasmatid outbreak release. Austral J Zool 13:475–490

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenzweig ML (1971) Paradox of enrichment: Destabilizating of exploitation ecosystems in ecological time. Science (Wash., D.C.) 171:385–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Royama T (1977) Population persistence and density dependence. Ecol Monogr 47:1–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Royama T (1981) Fundamental concepts and methodology for the analysis of animal population dynamics, with particular reference to univoltine species. Ecol Monogr 51:473–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Schenk JA, Mahoney RL, Moore JA, Adams DL (1976) Understory plants as indicators of grand fir mortality due to the fir engraver. J Entomol Soc Brit Columbia 73:21–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Stenseth NC (1977) On the importance of spatio-temporal heterogeneity for the population dynamics of rodents: towards a theoretical foundation of rodent control. Oikos 29:545–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoszek KJ (1973) Damage to ponderosa pine plantations by the western pine-shoot borer. J For 71:701–705

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoszek KJ, Mika PB, Moore JA, Osborne HL (1981) Relationships of Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliation to site and stand characteristics in Northern Idaho. For Sci 27:431–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Thalenhorst W (1958) Grundzüge der Populationsdynamik des grossen Fichtenborkenkäfers Ips typographus L Schr Forstl Fak Univ Göttingen, Band 21

  • Turnbull AL, Chant DA (1961) The practice and theory of biological control of insects in Canada. Can J Zool 39:697–753

    Google Scholar 

  • Varley GC, Gradwell GR, Hassell MP (1973) Insect population ecology: An analytical approach. Blackwell Sci Publ, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Volterra V (1926) Variazioni e fluttuazioni del numero d'individui in specie animali conviventi. Mem Acad Lincei 2:31–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Worrell R (1983) Damage by the spruce bark beetle in South Norway 1970–80: A survey and factors affecting its occurrence. Norsk Inst Skogforsk 38(6):1–34

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, Washington State University Pullman, 99164-6432, WA, USA

    A. A. Berryman

  2. Department of Biology, Division of Zoology, University of Oslo, Norway

    N. Chr. Stenseth

  3. V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest and Wood, 660036, Krasnoyarsk, USSR

    A. S. Isaev

Authors
  1. A. A. Berryman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. Chr. Stenseth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. S. Isaev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Modified from a paper originally presented as part of a symposium, “Natural Regulation of Herbivorous Insects in Forest Ecosystems” at the XVII International Congress of Entomology, Hamburg, FRG, 1984

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Berryman, A.A., Stenseth, N.C. & Isaev, A.S. Natural regulation of herbivorous forest insect populations. Oecologia 71, 174–184 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377282

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377282

Key words

Search

Navigation