How do canopy insects react to the sudden disappearance of their host tree? A study in the floodplain forests along the river Elbe shows surprising results.

This also affects insects and other animals in the canopy, which harbour a large proportion of biodiversity and perform many functions without which no forest can exist.

In response to tree mortality, forest scientists plan to convert commercial forests to more robust mixed forests, which includes the planting of drought-resistant tree species from other countries.

But this strategy carries risks and is controversial: If plants or animals are introduced into regions where they are not native, this can disrupt ecosystems, their biodiversity and function. «The nature and extent of such disturbances cannot be predicted on the basis of current knowledge.» This is what scientists Andreas Floren and Tobias Muller from the Ecology and Bioinformatics Departments of Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) report in the scientific journal Sustainability together with Peter Horchler from the Federal Office of Hydrology in Koblenz.

Exotic trees as rescue species

The researchers show that non-native trees can also provide opportunities in times of climate change by becoming rescue species for insects when their host trees die locally.

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Materials provided by University of Wurzburg. Original written by Robert Emmerich. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.