CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE LIGHT OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TREES AND PHYTOPHAGOUS INSECTS

Forest ecosystems are arenas for complex and dynamic interactions between trees and phytophagous insects. This complexity partly results from the increasing exposure of such ecosystems to climate change. Using different systems of tree-insect-climate interactions in Mediterranean and tropical forests, I will discuss how components of the biotic and abiotic environment of bark beetle communities can modulate their impact on the health of natural and exploited forests. I will also discuss how multidisciplinary approaches shed light on tree-insect-environment interactions in our changing world.