Assistant Professor Mississippi State University Quitman, Arkansas, United States
Can we identify invasive forest insects before they invade? Spoiler alert…yes! The newly released i-Tree Pest Predictor tool can be used to forecast which non-native insects have a high probability of causing tree mortality on 360+ hardwood and 50+ conifer trees native to North America should they establish.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, the participant will be able to explain how introduced insects can have catastrophic impacts on North American forest ecosystems.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to access and utilize the i-Tree Pest Predictor tool through a QR code, enter information for a trial insect, and forecast the probability that insect will be high impact.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to summarize the importance of predictive tools for biosecurity in the face of expanding global interconnectedness and biotic exchange.
