Many of these trees were felled by a combination of drought and fire. But among the factors responsible for the rising toll is a tiny new suspect: the bark beetle.
Scientists fear that the insects could contribute to the breakdown of Earth's northern conifer forests, including the potential dieback of the taiga... Its possible collapse is considered a climate tipping point.
This is a global phenomenon but it is also a complicated story... The only commonality, and the reason we are seeing so many incidents all at once, is the influence of humans.
Scientists are careful not to stigmatise the beetle. They are highly specialised ... but researchers are sure that their impact is growing.
[
add
]
[
|
|
...
]