Over the Edge + March 22, 2006

Insect-Tree Interactions: Bud

A UNBC Presentation

ANNA GRADOWSKA
STAFF WRITER

In Prince George, the citizens feel the
impact of the mountain pine beetle in-
festation more than ever. All over BC,
specialists and researchers put their
minds together and search for answers
to the problem of the mountain pine
beetle.

On March Ist, UNBC’s Dr. Dezene
Huber and UBC's Dr. Jorg Bohlmann
gave a public lecture at UNBC on the
topic of “Conifer Forest Health: Genes
and Chemistry in Tree-Insect Inter-
actions’. Sponsored by Genome BC,
a part of a larger Genome Canada re-
search group, the expert presentation
gave information on the genetics and
ecology of the interactions between the
defenses of trees and tactics of attack-
ing insects.

Dr. Jorg Bohlmann, a professor at
UBC specializing in Tree Biotechnol-
ogy, researches chemistry and genetics
of plant defense. Through his explora-
tion in chemical defenses and biology,
information about the hidden struggle
between trees and their killers can be
studied and used to enhance our know-
ledge of forest processes.

Dr. Dezene Huber, new Research
Chair as of 2005 in UNBC, specializes
in entomology and chemical ecology.
His research focuses on the insects’ bat-
tles with tree defenses. He studies how
the attacking insects survive against
the tough defenses of a tree and how
they turn chemical defenses against the
plants. In his presentation, Dr. Huber

outlined the specially evolved tactics
of bark beetles, Bark beetles, such as
the mountain pine beetle, live most of
their lives in the toxin environment of
the tree's bark. They only spend about
2 days outside the woody environ-
ment, searching out new targets. They
use the scent of defensive toxins in the
target tree and the chemical signals
other beetle to guide them to their
prey. Thousands of beetles converge
on a host, burrowing inside, dividing
the defensive resources of the tree. The
colonies of beetles inside the bark even
change the composition of the trees
toxic resins to create chemical signals to
beckon more of their kind. Once inside,

thousands of eggs are laid.

“The more we learn
about the nature of
tree-insect interaction,
the more tools we have
to predict and manage
future problems, not
only in mountain pine
beetle, but in any insect
in our forests.“

‘The growing insects inside produce
compounds to detoxify the poisonous
tree resins, allowing them to live out
their yearly lifecycle. The massive at-

tack, infiltration, and manipulation of
the tree eventually kill it. Dr. Huber
hopes to study the detoxification pro-
cesses of the bark battles, both gen-
etically and ecologically. He uses his
expertise in both fields to interpret
the consequences of the insect’s role
in infestation. This information could
possible help lead to new techniques in
pest control and forest management in
BC.

Many techniques have been de-
veloped to try and prevent the spread-
ing devastation in the wake of the
mountain pine beetle. The beetle
spends all but a few days inside the tree,
so sprayed pesticides have little effect.
Therefore, the current forms of control
usually require huge amount of man
power, as every infested tree is individ-
ually treated.

New research in the areas of genetics
and ecology allow new insight into the
working of the beetle and trees. The
more we learn about the nature of
tree-insect interaction, the more tools
we have to predict and manage future
problems, not only in mountain pine
beetle, but in any insect .in our forests.
The more knowledge we gain from ex-
perts, such as Dr, Huber and Dr. Bohl-
mann, the more we understand how to
behave in an environment of ever fluc-
tuating ecological processes, Through
presentations such as the one earlier
this month, groups such as GenomeBC
hope to make everyone aware of the in-
sight of genetics research in the lives of
people in the province.

The Future of (Un)Sustainability

ANNA GRADOWSKA
STAFF WRITER

On March 16th, the renowned Dr.
William Rees came to UNBC to give
a lecture entitled “Let's Get Serious
About Sustainability (or is already too
late?). Creator of “ecological footprint
analysis’, Dr. Rees has revolutionized
the way we perceive the individual's
impact on the planet. With 37 years of
experienced observation and expertise
in the area of population and human
ecology, Dr. Rees: gave an eye-opening
look at the future of the human species.

In an age of consumption and ever de--

teriorating environmental condition, he
calls for humanity to shake itself from
the lull of comfortable illusions and
deal with the indisputable approach of
disaster. Despite 20 years of research
into sustainability, humanity has only
become a worse offender; things are
not getting better. Scientific research
has been warning us for decades of the
destructive consequences of our be-
havior, but we have turned a blind eye,
favoring of denial over foresight.

Dr. Rees stated that humans, like
all animals, are controlled by our gen-
etics. Our genetics drive us towards
biological success. We desire offspring,
resources, comfort; much like any other
animal. Yet, in a twist, we have become
controlled by our socio-cultural en-
vironment. Our cultural ideas experi-
ence natural selection and evolve, and
they control us. Unfortunately, our
genetics have predisposed us to be in-
herently biased against becoming sus: ’

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tainable. The genetic drive to expand
and consume coupled with cultural re-
inforcement, has created an ideological
cocktail that will destroy us if not rem-
edied.,

Dr. Rees described how, humans
have become the ultimate predator. In
almost all ecosystems of the world, we
have become the greatest consumer of
resources, far more terrible than lions
and tigers. Western civilization has cre-
ated a worldview that sees the earth as
a limitless bounty at our disposal, de-
spite the overwhelming evidence to the
contrary. Our worsening fixation on
consumption has created a world of ex-
ploitation and unsustainable existence.
Dr. Rees showed through his system of
ecological footprinting, with which the
atea an individual uses to support their
lifestyle is calculated, how those in the.
western world have hoarded the plan-
et's resources at the ‘expense of other
peoples. In wealthy countries, such
as Canada and the US, the ecological
footprint of an individual is almost 10
hectares, whereas the average footprint
of the poorest peoples is half a hectare.
In order to return to a sustainable path,
we have to reduce every human's eco-
logical footprint to 1.8 hectares. This is
the minimum for averting destruction.
Currently, one Canadian accounts for
the same amount of recourses as 30 to
40 of the most impoverished people in
the world, The grossly unbalanced dis-
tribution of the world’s recourses has
led to unprecedented gaps between the
tich and the poor all over the world and

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an ecological deficit. Dr. Rees explained
that the ecological footprint of the
entire human species has caused the
world's recourses to be overexploited;
we are actually decreasing the amount
of resources we can share amongst
ourselves, Humanity is living as if the
world was 25% larger than it is. We ate
degrading the capacity this planet has
to care for us by eroding our topsoil,
draining our fresh water, and destroy-
ing the ecosystems of the planet. Yet,
unsurprisingly, hiding behind our thin
veils of self-delusion will not save us
from facing the harsh reality of our
decadent lifestyle.

Although our behavior has created a
bleak future for our species, all is not
lost. Dr. William Rees explained that
we have the information and the re-
sources to change our lifestyles for the
better, but we must act now. The next
century will define whether or not we
fall victim to our greed, and no one
can control the outcome but us. We
as people need to consciously over-
ride our genetic predisposition for un-
sustainability. To impose the universal
constraints required for this change,
he proposes that we create strict inter-
national law to implement a system
of mutual coercion that is mutually
agreed upon. Dr. Rees’ powerful pres-
entation clarified that without drastic
immediate action by both individuals
and institutions, humanity faces war
and destruction, possibly bringing the
planet along for the'ride.

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