Outbreaks of European spruce bark beetle dramatically altered Norway spruce-dominated stands with implications for volant wildlife in the Białowieża Forest, Poland

Key message 

An outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) in spruce (Picea abies L.) dominated forest stands in the Białowieża Forest, Poland, has led to fundamental changes in forest characteristics. The species composition of regenerating stands now differs from earlier records findings, with oak, birch and rowan becoming dominant, while hornbeam numbers have decreased and Norway spruce is now sporadic, suggesting an ongoing period of reorganisation. Among the forest attributes showing the greatest degree of change are canopy architecture and sheltering opportunities—factors known to be most influential for volant-dependent wildlife.

Keywords
Pest infestation; Primeval forest; Canopy; Regeneration; Saplings; Structure

Publication
Carr, A., Apoznański, G., Dobrowolska, D. et al. Outbreaks of European spruce bark beetle dramatically altered Norway spruce-dominated stands with implications for volant wildlife in the Białowieża Forest, Poland. Annals of Forest Science 82, 29 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-025-01301-x

Data availability 
The data set is available for viewing and downloading at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15150480.

Handling editor
Andreas Bolte