Role of plant secondary compounds in invasion biology of an insect herbivore in novel habitats

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Jack pine is a dominant tree species in the Canadian boreal forest, providing essential services for a number of plant and animal species. However, its existence has been threatened by the invasive mountain pine beetle as it has killed millions of hectares of historical host trees, mainly lodgepole pine in Western North America during the last outbreak and recently invaded the western extend of jack pine forests in northern Alberta (Canada). Within its historical range, mountain pine beetle shares a long co-evolutionary history with lodgepole pine and has adapted to utilize its secondary compounds. However, it is unknown whether jack pine and lodgepole pine differ in their susceptibility to beetles as both species vary with respect to the composition of secondary compounds which could affect host tree-beetle interactions.