Beetle-infested Pine Trees Contribute To Air Pollution And Haze In Forests

The hordes of bark beetles that have bored their way through more than 6 billion trees in the western United States and British Columbia since the 1990s do more than kill stately pine, spruce and other trees.

Results of a new study find that these pests can make trees release up to 20 times more of the organic substances that foster haze and air pollution in forested areas.

A paper reporting the findings appears today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Image credit:

US Forest Service