News Ecosystems

Beetle attack overturns forest carbon regime

Outbreak in British Columbia counters trees' ability to capture carbon from air

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

The largest outbreak of mountain pine beetles on record is turning a forest in British Columbia from part of the solution into part of the problem in the fight against greenhouse gases.

Mountain pine beetles, about the size of a grain of rice, spend their larval season inside old lodge pole pines. Along with their hitchhiking fungus, the bugs can eventually kill the tree.
BEETLE MANIA Mountain pine beetles, about the size of a grain of rice, spend their larval season inside old lodge pole pines.