UMN header graphic Picture of Brian Aukema by Goat River, BC with email and phone number

WELCOME!

A vibrant research and teaching program in forest entomology has been a long hallmark of the U, from Sam Graham (1921), Leslie Orr (1927), and Alex Hodson (1931) to Herb Kulman (1966), Steve Seybold (1998), and Peter Rush (2002).

Our research group (est. 2010) studies the ecology of forest insects, linking patterns across space and through time to individual- and community-level processes. We work across plant-insect and predator-prey interactions, landscape ecology, population dynamics, chemical ecology, and biometry, the application of statistical tools to novel ecological questions therein. Linking pattern and process across scales touches on a number of topics in resource management, such as insect outbreaks and disturbances, dispersal, sampling, changing climate, invasion biology, and biological control.

Our research program is based on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, where I hold a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship in the Department of Entomology.

EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND

2010-Present McKnight Land-Grant Professor, Entomology, Univ. of Minnesota
Adjunct Faculty, University of Northern British Columbia
2006-2010 Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service
Adjunct Assistant Professor, U Northern British Columbia
2004-2005 Visiting Fellow, Canadian Forest Service (Dr. Allan Carroll)
Research Associate, Entomology, UW-Madison (Dr. Kenneth Raffa)
1999-2003 PhD, Entomology, UW-Madison (Dr. Kenneth Raffa)
MS, Biometry/Statistics, UW-Madison (Dr. Murray Clayton)
1997-1999 MS, Entomology, University of Wisconsin (Dr. Kenneth Raffa)

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

2012 de la Giroday, H.-M., Carroll, A.L., and B.H. Aukema. Breach of the northern Rocky Mountain geoclimatic barrier: Initiation of range expansion by the mountain pine beetle. Journal of Biogeography 39: 1112-1123. [666 KB ]
2012 Sambaraju, K., Carroll, A.L., Zhu, J., Stahl, K., Moore, R.D. and B.H. Aukema. Climate change could alter the distribution of mountain pine beetle outbreaks in western Canada. Ecography 35: 211-223. [3.4 MB ]
2010 Klingenberg, M.D., Lindgren, B.S., Gillingham, M.P., and B.H. Aukema. Management response to one insect pest may increase vulnerability to another. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 566-574. [386 KB ]
2008 Aukema, B.H., Carroll, A.L., Zheng, Y., Zhu, J., Raffa, K.F., Moore, R.D., Stahl, K., and S.W. Taylor. Movement of outbreak populations of mountain pine beetle: Influence of spatiotemporal patterns and climate. Ecography 31: 348-358. [518 KB ]
2008 Raffa, K.F., Aukema, B.H., Bentz, B.J., Carroll, A.L., Hicke, J.A., Turner, M.G., and W. Romme. Cross-scale drivers of natural disturbances prone to anthropogenic amplification: Dynamics of biome-wide bark beetle eruptions. BioScience 58: 501-517. [6.0 MB ]
2006 Aukema, B.H., Carroll, A.L., Zhu, J., Raffa, K.F., Sickley, T.A., and S.W. Taylor. Landscape level analysis of mountain pine beetle in British Columbia, Canada: Spatiotemporal development and spatial synchrony within the present outbreak. Ecography 29: 427-441. [366 KB ]
2004 Aukema, B.H., and K.F. Raffa. Does aggregation benefit bark beetles by diluting predation? Links between a group-colonization strategy and the absence of multiple predator effects. Ecological Entomology 29(2): 129-138. [296 KB ]
2002 Aukema, B.H., and K.F. Raffa. Relative effects of exophytic predation, endophytic predation, and intraspecific competition on a subcortical herbivore: Consequences to the reproduction of Ips pini and Thanasimus dubius. Oecologia 133(4): 483-491. [265 KB ]
2000 Aukema, B.H., Dahlsten, D.L., and K.F. Raffa. Improved population monitoring of bark beetles and predators by incorporating disparate behavioral responses to semiochemicals. Environmental Entomology 29: 618-629. [215 KB ]

More things to read »

LAB NEWS & EVENTS

15-17 June 13

Conference • Derek and Brian are off to Rapid City to present some work on mountain pine beetle at the ESA branch meetings. Congrats to Derek, who is partially funded by a NCB Presidential Travel Scholarship!

13 June 13

Teaching • Brian gave a presentation on emerald ash borer to the Teacher Induction Program at the U. It would be great if no one needed to use the information any time soon

23 May 13

New truck • The lab's new truck has arrived! Wow, it was getting hard to do all our work with wheelbarrows

15 May 13

New paper • As mountain pine beetle inches toward the Great Lakes region, we have found that the beetle's microorganisms do quite well in jack pine.

15 May 13

Hoppers • Fraser is giving his non-thesis seminar to the department on the most famous insect of which many of us have never heard: the Rocky Mountain Locust

12 Apr 13

Lunch • Brian is having lunch with the President of the University. Now that March Madness is over, the lab can bet on time until he spills food on his tie

6 Apr 13

Classes without Quizzes • Brian gave a presentation on emerald ash borer at the annual College open house program, Classes without Quizzes

5 Apr 13

Visiting: here • We welcome Marissa from Florida, who is here checking out our lab for graduate studies on European gypsy moth. (NO! That is NOT snow today!)

5 Apr 13

Visiting: away • Sam is off to Iowa State to talk to one of their journal clubs about his research on the biological control of emerald ash borer

2 Apr 13

Nuts • Andrea told the deparment all about walnuts, and the threat from Thousand Cankers Disease during her department seminar. Nice job, Andrea!

27 Mar 13

Sugarer • Spring is coming. Our resident sugarer, Fraser McKee, has manufactured himself an impressive 2013-edition boiler from a filing cabinet to boil the maple sap. Nothing to do with his thesis, but everything to do with improving quality of life.

22 Mar 13

Congrats! • Congrats to our former student Talya, who is on the verge of receiving her teaching license. Some people are just naturals. Way to go, Talya!

21 Mar 13

Hoops! • Sam and Brian have taken it upon themselves to organize the first ever NCAA March Madness Department of Entomology Hodson Hall Basketball Pool. Our thanks to our good friend Mr. Anderson of AAA Awards for sponsoring the trophy