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Genome Blog [Category - Mountain Pine Beetle]
Blog Description [Category - Mountain Pine Beetle]
- Defending the castle – a pine tree response to MPB attack
Looking at images of pine forests in BC and Alberta, the effects of the MPB epidemic are easy to see. In face of this pictorial assault, it is easy to forget that MPB attacks may not always result in the death of the tree. Pine trees have their own array of defence responses giving them a chance to repulse invading insects (such as MPB) and pathogens. I thought I’d touch on one of the primary responses by pines (and other conifers) in this blog, and that is the production of oleoresin, a viscous and odoriferous mixture of chemical compounds. - A beetle is a beetle is a beetle, right?
A beetle is a beetle is a beetle right? Not to a population biologist. This current epidemic contains millions of mountain pine beetles (MPB) spread across both Alberta and BC. Once beetles take flight each year in search of new trees, where do they go? Who is moving where? Is there anything different about beetles in different areas? These questions may prove crucial to our understanding of this and future outbreaks. However, before we can ask in depth questions we need a basic understanding of current beetle populations. Since we can’t just ask beetles these questions, we’re lucky that genomics offers tools which can help. - MPB project at BIO 2008 – final day
As the exhibition portion of the BIO convention wraps up this morning, I felt a bit of reflection over the last few days was in order. I've had a chance to interact with a really diverse group of people from all aspects of the biotech community. Though not directly working on MPB research, the level of knowledge about the outbreaks in Colorado and the science behind our research was amazing. More than a few people commented that the discussions they had with our booth were refreshing and a good break to the networking and business aspects of their days here. The opportunity to talk to the international biotech community about our work was also a unique opportunity I was glad to have.
Besides the exhibition floor, the networking opportunities at outside events (receptions, galas, dinners) were immense. For anyone who has not attended a BIO convention before (such as myself), the real ability to interact with thousands of people is a huge benefit. I’m sure I talked with twice as many people about our research and Genome Alberta outside the trade show as within it. For me the experience here this week was hugely positive and I hope the opportunity arises to do this again.
- The Mountain Pine Beetle project at BIO 2008 – Exhibition day one
To begin, I need to say what an event the BIO International Convention is. This afternoon’s exhibition session started off with a bang with the formal opening of the Canada Pavilion. This was followed closely by the opening of the BioAlberta Pavilion where I had the pleasure of briefly meeting and talking with the Honourable Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. I was also pleased at the level of interest both the poster and the Genome Alberta booth received. I had numerous discussions about the project with people who work in all aspects of the biotechnology field. Interestingly, many of them were not researchers. Quite a few were drawn by the poster, but even more stopped to look at the slide show of images we displayed to reflect the project. The scanning electron microscope images were a really big draw. From all the discussions I had today, one stood out. Two gentlemen from Malaysia approached the Genome Alberta booth, drawn to the pine beetle project due a similar situation they were experiencing with an important crop plant. They were intrigued by the integrative genomics approach we were taking and felt it had direct applicability to their situation. To me this demonstrates the broad applicability of our approach and the various scenarios it can be applied too. I definitely look forward to another interesting and engaging day tomorrow. Who knows who else could drop by the booth?
Discussing the Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic Project with the Honourable Doug Horner (right) at the Genome Alberta Booth at BIO 2008 - Mountain Pine Beetle project on the road – 2008 BIO International Convention
One part of science that I absolutely enjoy is telling others about the research I am involved in. Be it through a blog site, at conferences, or just over a coffee, it gives people a glimpse of what we as scientists are doing and how we can apply the results. So when Genome Alberta asked the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) project to present at their 2008 BIO International Convention Booth, I jumped at the opportunity. What better way to reach thousands of people and raise awareness of the devastation that the MPB epidemic has caused in Canada (beetle and fungus don't forget) and show the novel approaches we are using to understand this epidemic. - Working together - mountain pine beetles and their fungal associates
As a biologist, I find the interaction between the blue stain fungi and the mountain pine beetle really quite amazing. We have a mutualistic symbiosis between two completely different organisms which happen to have the same host, the pine tree. As I have an inquisitive mind, I took a slightly deeper look into this relationship. What I found is that there are still aspects of the beetle-fungal relationship currently being debated. Here are some paradigms being suggested. - Blue stain fungi – an important part of the mountain pine beetle epidemic
Searching for images of the MPB infestation yields a plethora of pictures of dying trees with their characteristic red needles, or those of the beetles themselves which are as small as a grain of rice. We cannot, however, forget the importance of our other player, the blue stain fungi. Though we don’t see them at work, fungi play a crucial role in the epidemic. Therefore, knowing the biology of the fungi is another key component to understanding the epidemic itself.
- Do Mountain Pine Beetles Get Claustrophobic?
Field crew blog – installment #2
By Brad Jones
The first step in collecting mountain pine beetle samples is finding a tree infested with beetles! In areas where surveys have been conducted, this is a relatively easy task. Representatives from Alberta (Sustainable Resource Development) and British Columbia (Ministry of Forests) have been integral in pinpointing infected areas. However, the project also requires sampling in areas that are not surveyed. We then get the fun of finding attacked trees to sample. The most obvious sign of beetle attack is the orange-red crown of a pine tree in death throes. But when in a pine stand, faded crowns are near impossible to see without standing right under the tree. The next most obvious cue is exposed wood caused by woodpeckers pecking the bark off infested trees. Woodpeckers can be very efficient and remove almost every bit of bark from a tree while pecking a feast of mountain pine beetles. And a de-barked tree is quite obvious in a stand. The sound of woodpecker drumming drifting through the pines is like music to a beetler’s ears. But there is a problem when the woodpeckers are too efficient: there are no beetles left to sample!
- Genomics? Why genomics?
More and more, scientists are relying on genomics to tackle complex research problems. One needs only to look at the advancements in medical research to see the power of a genomics approach. Other research fields are now building genomics resources to expand and complement current physiological data. Developing these resources takes significant time and effort, but will be well worth the investment at the end. However, why are we using genomics in the first place? What advantages can a genomics approach give us? - About a beetle
I want to take some time and look at the biology of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) system. In any research, you need to review and understand the system in which you are working. As well, a good review will highlight present knowledge while identifying areas which require more information. This process paves the way for future research which can advance our understanding of the system. The MPB system is challenging in that an und