Research

Bark beetle outbreaks, particularly by the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), represent the most significant biotic disturbances in Austrian forests, with serious ecological and economic consequences. In view of the increasing damage recorded across Europe over the last two decades, there is a great demand for practical risk assessment and early warning systems to support bark beetle management. The aim of the proposed project is to further develop the Austrian bark beetle dashboard, which was published in May 2024, using machine learning-based risk assessment and prediction models. These models are intended to predict the expected extent of damage at the forest district level (impact model) and the probability of damage at a high resolution of 10 metres for the whole of Austria (probability model). Through the integration of modern remote sensing technologies and machine learning methods, the bark beetle dashboard is to be further developed in the medium term into a holistic risk assessment system that can also function as an early warning system. This will provide efficient support to the forestry industry in mitigating damage caused by the European spruce bark beetle and other bark beetles, adapting European forests to climate change by converting them into mixed forests, and preserving important ecosystem services for future generations.

The IPS project is developing an innovative sustainable control method to reduce the impact of forest insect infestations on forests. Bark beetle infestations (Ips typographus) and weevil infestations (Hylobius abietis) on various conifers are increasing, also as a result of increasingly frequent extreme events that weaken forest ecosystems. So far, there is no effective solution that could reduce these harmful effects, except to remove infested trees or trunks promptly. Our goal is to develop and test products that can reduce the impact of bark beetles and weevils by acting on their microbiome and leading to the death of the insect. These laboratory-proven products are based on plant extracts and mineral substances and are therefore ecologically neutral. They also help to protect forest ecosystems and thus contribute to waste reduction and the creation of new value chains in the sense of the circular economy.

Insects are an essential components of many ecosystems (pollinators, pests, etc.). In agricultural and forestry practice, synthetic chemical insecticides are often used to control pests. However, they also pose a health risk to humans and many ecosystems and have a negative impact on beneficial insects and other organisms. In addition, the long-term use of chemical insecticides leads to pest resistance, which gradually reduces their effectiveness. Therefore, there is great interest in replacing chemical insecticides with biological alternatives. The most effective biopesticides include insect pathogens such as nematodes, fungi and bacteria. They are still used to a limited extent and represent a supplement to conventional insecticides. The limited use of biopesticides is due to several factors, such as their slower action, their sensitivity to environmental conditions or their limited market supply. As part of this project, we will expand the possible use of biopesticides by combining them with other pathogens. When infected with pathogens, the host, e.g. a harmful insect, recognizes the foreign organisms and activates the corresponding defence reactions. Influencing these defense reactions is therefore one way of increasing the effectiveness of biopesticides. These biopesticides can be modified by combining them with RNA interference (RNAi), which increases the effect and does not harm non-target organisms. In practice, RNAi can be induced (with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)) to block genes of the insect immune system and thus enhance the effect of pathogens. By blocking these genes, the pest is weakened or killed. Biopesticides using RNAi can be targeted against specific pests (as they are highly specific) without harming non-target organisms such as pollinators and other beneficial insects. Another focus of the project is to monitor the effects of the biopesticides developed on non-target organisms and to raise awareness of biopesticides. For practical reasons, the project concentrates on selected agricultural and forestry insect pests, the spruce bark beetle, the spongy moth and the Colorado potato beetle. In addition, the complete sequence of their genomes is available, making them suitable for the use of molecular biology methods to modify existing bioinsecticides, which may subsequently have a positive impact on the control of their populations. We will first test the new pesticides on the Colorado potato beetle and then modify them for the spruce bark beetle and the spongy moth.