Forests bouncing back from beetles, but elk and deer slowing recovery

(University of Colorado at Boulder) New research from University of Colorado Boulder reveals that even simultaneous bark beetle outbreaks are not a death sentence to the state's beloved forests. The study, published this month in the journal Ecology, found that high-elevation forests in the southern Rocky Mountains actually have a good chance of recovery, even after overlapping outbreaks with different kinds of beetles. One thing that is slowing their recovery down: Foraging elk and deer.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 13, 2020 Category: Biology Source Type: news