7.03.00 - Entomology

Coordinator:

Maartje Johanna Klapwijk, Sweden

Deputies:

Barbara Bentz, United States

Hervé Jactel, France

Joséphine Queffelec, South Africa

ABOUT UNIT

The objectives of this Research Group are to promote and advance the field of forest entomology by stimulating communication and cooperation among forest entomology scientists, foresters and students in various parts of the world.

The "Entomology" Research Group is comprised of 12 Working Parties that focus on many different facets of forest insect biology, ecology and management.  Several of these working groups address topics that encompass forest pathogens in addition to insects (e.g., alien invasive species, tree resistance, etc).  Most conferences within the Entomology Research Group are organized at the Working Party level, although often meetings are jointly sponsored by several Working Parties, sometimes across Research Groups, Divisions, or with other organisations.

The Entomology Research Group sponsors the FORENT email listserv that is the principal conduit for communication within the global forest entomology community both within and beyond IUFRO.  If you work with or are interested in forest insects, we encourage you to join FORENT at https://lists.iufro.org/mailman3/accounts/signup/?next=/mailman3/postorius/lists/


State of Knowledge

Throughout the world, forests are habitats for highly diverse communities of insects.  Most forest insect species are not terribly abundant and many play important beneficial ecological roles such as facilitating nutrient cycling, pollination, pest control, and providing prey for insectivorous wildlife.  Unfortunately, there are a few species that become quite abundant and the damage caused during these outbreaks may interfere with forest management objectives.