Dendrochronological reconstruction of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks in southern Quebec for the last 400 years1This article is one of a selection of papers from the 7th International Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests.

A dendrochronological study reveals that spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks in southern Quebec have been frequent, severe, and synchronized for the past 400 years, with no evidence of recent dynamics exceeding historical norms. The research used tree-ring data from old buildings and old-growth stands to reconstruct outbreak history, identifying nine confirmed outbreaks and three uncertain ones. While outbreaks became more frequent (every ~30 years) in the 20th century compared to 1660–1850 (~50 years), similar or even higher frequency may have occurred before 1660 (~28 years). This challenges previous assumptions based on living trees, suggesting earlier outbreaks were more frequent and synchronized than previously thought.

Boulanger, Y., Arseneault, D., Morin, H., Jardon, Y., Bertrand, P., & Dagneau, C. (2012). Dendrochronological reconstruction of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks in southern Quebec for the last 400 years¹This article is one of a selection of papers from the 7th International Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 42(7), 1264–1276. https://doi.org/10.1139/x2012-069