Abstract:
One of the main threats to forests in the Anthropocene are novel or altered interactions among trees, insects and fungi. To
critically assess the contemporary research on bark beetles, their associated fungi, and their relationships with trees, the international
Bark Beetle Mycobiome research coordination network has been formed. The network comprises 22 researchers from 17
institutions. This forward-looking review summarizes the group’s assessment of the current status of the bark beetle mycobiome
research field and priorities for its advancement. Priorities include data mobility and standards, the adoption of new technologies
for the study of these symbioses, reconciliation of conflicting paradigms, and practices for robust inference of symbiosis and tree
epidemiology. The Net work proposes contemporary communication strategies to interact with the global community of researchers
studying symbioses and natural resource managers. We conclude with a call to the broader scientific community to
participate in the network and contribute their perspectives.
