Context-dependent disturbance synergies: Subcortical competitors may constrain bark beetle irruption following wildfires

Wildfires and bark beetles have historically interacted to create complex and resilient forests. However, recent record-breaking wildfires in western North America raise concerns that the large areas of injured and dead trees could facilitate increases in insect populations that respond to resource pulses. Populations of Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae), the primary mortality agent of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugae menziesii) often irrupt following fires due to the resultant ephemeral pulses of defensively compromised hosts. Other subcortical phloeophagous insects are also attracted to fire (e.g., woodboring Coleoptera: Buprestidae, Cerambycidae), and similarly colonize damaged trees. Although Douglas-fir beetle and woodboring beetle species are known to colonize the phloem of injured trees, the potential for interactions among them following fire is relatively unknown. Rapid colonization by woodborers of the bark beetle niche following fires could constrain bark beetle populat..., , , # Context-dependent disturbance synergies: Subcortical competitors may constrain bark beetle irruption following wildfires

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns262](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns262)

## Description of the data and file structure

These data were derived from field sampling conducted in the interior Douglas-fir forests of British Columbia by Mitchell et al., in 2019. Additional data (not shared here) was derived from the same field season and published in Kitchens* et al., 2022 ([https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120203](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120203 \"Persistent link using digital object identifier\")). 

\**Note: Kate Mitchell has previously published under her maiden name Kitchens, but this is the same researcher across both studies* 

Four files have been provided and attached. 

Three excel .csv files containing raw field data are named as follows, and apply to the relevant models/hypotheses which were tested in the manuscript: 

**Tree Leve...,