Scientists trying to save eastern hemlock trees from widespread insect attacks may have uncovered a case of déjà vu, dating back millennia.
“Our hypothesis is that 7,000 to 8,000 years ago, insects hammered the eastern hemlock in a similar way to how it’s being hammered now,” says Kevin Potter, NC State forestry professor and lead researcher on a paper published in Conservation Genetics. “We think we may see a genetic signature of an ancient and widespread insect epidemic.”
The modern threat to the hemlock is real and close to home. Learn more about what Dr. Potter and his team are doing about it. Read the full article in The Abstract.