Research

We love arthropods, forests, and forest-adjacent ecosystems, and we love finding out everything that we can about them.

If you’re considering joining our lab group or have questions about our research, please contact Dr. Huber.

Our current projects include:

  • forest influences on agricultural pollinators in BC’s central interior
  • the phoretic mite diversity of Douglas-fir beetles
  • pollinator communities following massive fires in interior Douglas-fir ecosystems
  • urban arthropod assemblages, particularly Megaselia spp. flies
  • Platanthera spp. orchid pollination, and pollinators of central BC wetlands
  • land management effects on forage crop pest and predator/parasitoid assemblages
  • development of a comprehensive aquatic insect database/map for British Columbia
  • Vaccinium pests and associates in northern Canada
  • spruce beetle genomics and spruce tree host defenses

Please take a look at the list of publications below for a taste of what we’ve been up to.

Without the effort of undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, a technicians, none of this work would have been possible. Their names are italicized.

If you are interested in pursuing a project along similar lines, please contact me.

An up-to-date list with links to find our publications can be found here.

ORCID ID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6495-1759


Janes J.K., van der Voort G.E., Huber D.P.W. 2023. We know very little about pollination in the Platanthera Rich. (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae). Ecology and Evolution in press.

Mitchell A.S., Huber D.P.W., Poirier L.M. 2023. Biodiversity and community composition of ground-dwelling invertebrates across three disturbance regimes in a sub-boreal spruce forest. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 120:e2589. LINK

Musso A.E., Fortier C., Huber D.P.W., Carroll A.L., Evenden M.L. 2023. Naïve pine terpene response to the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) through the seasons. Journal of Chemical Ecology 16:1-4. LINK

Keeling C.I., Campbell E.O., Batista P.D., Shegelski V.A., Tevoy S.A.L., Huber D.P.W., Janes J.K., Sperling F.A.H. 2022. Chromosome-level genome assembly reveals genomic architecture of northern range expansion in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Molecular Ecology Resources Molecular Ecology Resources 22:1149-1167. PREPRINT FINAL MANUSCRIPT ACCESS

Shegelski V.A., Evenden M.L., Huber D.P.W., Sperling F.A.H. 2021. Identification of genes and gene expression associated with dispersal capacity in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). PeerJ 9:e12382. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Balogh S.L., Björklund N., Huber D.P.W., Lindgren B.S. 2021. Population size estimation for the Warren root collar weevil, Hylobius warreni Wood (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a pest of regenerating lodgepole pine plantations. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 118:12-18. OPEN ACCESS

Fettig CJ, Graves AD, Huber DP. 2021. Special issue on managing bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) with semiochemicals: honouring the remarkable career of Dr. Steven J. Seybold. The Canadian Entomologist 153:1-3. ABSTRACT

Huber D.P.W., Fettig C.J., Borden J.H. 2021. Disruption of coniferophagous bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) mass attack using angiosperm nonhost volatiles: from concept to operational use. The Canadian Entomologist 153:19-35. ABSTRACT

Balogh S.L., Björklund N., Huber D.P.W., Lindgren B.S. 2020. Random and directed movement by Warren root collar weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), relative to size and distance of host lodgepole pine trees.  Journal of Insect Science Journal of Insect Science 20(4): 9. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Isitt R.L., Bleiker K.P., Pureswaran D.S., Hillier N.K., Huber D.P.W. 2020. Local, geographical, and contextual variation in the aggregation pheromone blend of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).  Journal of Chemical Ecology 46:497-507. FREE TO READ

Erasmus D.J. and Huber D.P.W.  2020. Plecoptera from the Crooked River, British Columbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 117:64-68OPEN ACCESS LINK

O’Dell A.D.C., Flores A-M., Schwarzfeld M.D., Erasmus D.J., Heath D.D., Huber D.P.W., Shrimpton J.M. 2020. Determining diets for fish from a small interior British Columbia stream: a comparison of morphological and molecular approaches. The Canadian Entomologist 152:702-720. ABSTRACT

Thompson K.M., Huber, D.P.W., Murray, B.W. 2020. Autumn shifts in cold tolerance metabolites in overwintering adult mountain pine beetles. PLOS ONE 15(1): e0227203. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Huber D.P.W., Shrimpton C.M., Erasmus D.J. 2019. Eight new provincial species records of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) from one Arctic watershed river in British Columbia. Western North American Naturalist 79: 1-11. PREPRINT LINK  JOURNAL LINK

Burian S.K., Erasmus D.J., Shrimpton C.M., Currie D.C., Giberson D.J., Huber D.P.W. 2018. First records of Baetis vernus Curtis (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in North America, with morphological notes. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 115: 3-24. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Isitt R. L.,  Bleike, K. P.,  Pureswaran D.S., Hillier N.K., Huber D.P.W. 2018. The effect of feeding and mate presence on the pheromone production of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Environmental Entomology 47: 1293–1299. ACCESS

Balogh S.L., Huber D.P.W., Lindgren B.S. 2018. Single-generation effects on terpenoid defenses in lodgepole pine populations following mountain pine beetle infestation. PLoS ONE 13:e0196063. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Erasmus D.J., Yurkowski E.A., Huber D.P.W. 2018. DNA barcode-based survey of Trichoptera in the Crooked River reveals three new species records for British Columbia. PeerJ 6:e4221. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Floate, K., Huber, D.P.W. 2018. Congratulations to The Canadian Entomologist on this, its sesquicentennial anniversary! The Canadian Entomologist 150: 1-11. LINK

Fraser J.D., Bonnett T.R., Keeling C.I., Huber D.P.W. 2017. Seasonal shifts in accumulation of glycerol biosynthetic gene transcripts in mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), larvae. PeerJ 5:e3284. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Robert J.A., Bonnett T., Pitt C., Spooner L.J., Fraser J., Yuen M.M.S., Keeling C.I., Bohlmann J., Huber D.P.W. 2016. Gene expression analysis of overwintering mountain pine beetle larvae suggests multiple systems involved in overwintering stress, cold hardiness, and preparation for spring development. PeerJ 4:e2109. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Huber, D.P.W. and Robert, J.A. 2016. The proteomics and transcriptomics of early host colonization and overwintering physiology in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Advances in Insect Physiology 50: 101-128. LINK

McKee, F.R., Huber, D.P.W.,  Lindgren, B.S., Hodgkinson, R.S., Aukema B.H. 2015. Effect of natal and colonised host species on female host acceptance and male joining behaviour of the mountain pine beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) using pine and spruce. The Canadian Entomologist 147: 39-45. LINK

Pitt, C., Robert, J.A., Bonnett, T.R., Keeling, C.I., Bohlmann, J., Huber, D.P.W. 2014. Proteomics indicators of the rapidly shifting physiology of mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), adults during early host colonization. PLoS ONE 9(10): e110673. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Janes, J.K., Li, Y., Keeling, C.I., Yuen, M.M.S., Boone, C.K., Cooke, J.E.K., Bohlmann, J., Huber, D.P.W., Murray, B.W., Coltman, D.W., Sperling, F.A.H. 2014. How the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) breached the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Molecular biology and evolution 31: 1803-1815. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Clark, E.L., Pitt, C., Carroll, A.L., Lindgren, B.S., Huber, D.P.W. 2014. Comparison of lodgepole and jack pine resin chemistry: implications for range expansion by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). PeerJ 2:e240. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Clark, E.L., Isitt, R., Plettner, E., Fields, P.G., Huber, D.P.W. 2014. An inexpensive feeding bioassay technique for stored-product insects. Journal of Economic Entomology 107:455-461. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Robert, J.A., Pitt, C., Bonnett, T.R., Yuen, M.M.S., Keeling, C.I., Bohlmann, J., and Huber, D.P.W. 2013. Disentangling detoxification: Gene expression analysis of feeding mountain pine beetle illuminates molecular-level host chemical defense detoxification mechanisms. PLoS ONE 8(11): e77777. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Gregory, T.R., Nathwani, P., Bonnett, T.R., and Huber, D.P.W. 2013. Sizing up arthropod genomes: an evaluation of the impact of environmental variation on genome size estimates by flow cytometry and the use of qPCR as a method of estimation. Genome 56:505-510. OPEN ACCESS LINK

McKee, F.R., Huber, D.P.W, Aukema, B.H. 2013. Comparisons of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) reproduction within a novel and traditional host: effects of insect natal history, colonized host species, and competitors. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 15:310-320. LINK

Keeling, C.I., Yuen, M.M.S., Liao N.Y., Docking, T.R., Chan, S.K., Taylor, G.A., Palmquist, D.L., Jackman, S.D., Nguyen, A., Li, M., Henderson, H., Janes, J.K., Zhao, Y., Pandoh, P., Moore, R., Sperling, F.A.H., Huber, D.P.W., Birol, I., Jones, S.J.M., Bohlmann, J. 2013. Draft genome of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, a major forest pest. Genome biology 14.3: R27. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Bonnett, T.R., Robert, J.A., Pitt, C., Fraser, J.D., Keeling, C.I., Bohlmann, J., Huber, D.P.W. 2012. Global and comparative proteomic profiling of overwintering and developing mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), larvae. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 42:890-901. OPEN ACCESS LINK

Fettig, C.J., McKelvey, S.R., Dabney, C.P., Fowler, D., Huber, D.P.W., Lait, C., Borden, J.H. 2012. Efficacy of “Verbenone Plus” for protecting ponderosa pine trees and stands from Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) attack in British Columbia and California. Journal of Economic Entomology 105:1477-1870. LINK

Keeling, C.I., Henderson, H., Li, M., Yuen, M., Clark, E.L., Fraser, J.D., Huber, D.P.W., Liao, N.Y., Docking, T.R., Birol, I., Chan, S.K., Taylor, G.A., Palmquist, D., Jones, S.J.M., Bohlmann, J. 2012. Transcriptome and full-length cDNA resources for the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, a major insect pest of pine forests. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 42: 525-536. LINK

Clark, E.L., Huber, D.P.W., and Carroll, A.L. 2012. The legacy of attack: implications of high phloem resin monoterpene levels in lodgepole pines following mass attack by mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins. Environmental Entomology 41: 392-398. LINK

Fettig, C.J., McKelvey, S.R., Dabney, C.P., and Huber, D.P.W. 2012. Responses of Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in behavioral assays: implications to development of a semiochemical-based tool for tree protection. Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 149-160. LINK

Ott, D.S., Yanchuk, A.D., Huber, D.P.W., and Wallin, K.F. 2011. Genetic variation of lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var. latifolia, chemical and physical defenses that affect mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, attack and tree mortality. Journal of Chemical Ecology 37: 1002-1012. LINK

Wallis, C.M., Huber, D.P.W., and Lewis, K.J. 2011 Ecosystem, location, and climate effects on foliar secondary metabolites of lodgepole pine populations from central British Columbia. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 37: 607-621. LINK

Wallis, C.M., Reich, R.W., Lewis, K.J., and Huber, D.P.W. 2010. Lodgepole pine provenances differ in chemical defense capacities against foliage and stem diseases. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 40: 2333-2344. LINK

Clark, E.L., Carroll, A.C., and Huber, D.P.W. 2010. Differences in lodgepole pine constitutive terpene profile across a geographic range in British Columbia and the correlation to historical attack by mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The Canadian Entomologist 142: 557-573. LINK

Fettig, C.J., McKelvey, S.R., Dabney, C.P., Borys, R.R., and Huber, D.P.W. 2009. Response of Dendroctonus brevicomis to different release rates of nonhost angiosperm volatiles and verbenone in trapping and tree protection studies. Journal of Applied Entomology 133: 143-154. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Aukema, B.H., Hodgkinson, R.S., and Lindgren B.S. 2009. Successful colonization, reproduction, and new generation emergence in live interior hybrid spruce, Picea engelmannii x glauca, by mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 11:83 – 89. LINK

Graves, A.D., Holsten, E.H., Ascerno, M.E., Zogas, K., Hard, J.S., Huber, D.P.W., Blanchette, R., and Seybold, S.J. 2008. Protection of spruce from colonization by the bark beetle, Ips perturbatus, in Alaska. Forest Ecology and Management 256:1825 – 1839. LINK

Fettig, C.J., Dabney, C.P., McKelvey, S.R., and Huber, D.P.W. 2008. Nonhost angiosperm volatiles and verbenone protect individual ponderosa pines from attack by western pine beetle and red turpentine beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). Western Journal of Applied Forestry 23:40 – 45. LINK

Shepherd, W.P., Huber, D.P.W., Seybold, S.J., and Fettig, C.J. 2007. Antennal responses of the western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), to stem volatiles of its primary host, Pinus ponderosa, and nine sympatric nonhost angiosperms and conifers. Chemoecology 17:209 – 221. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Erickson, M.L., Leutenegger, C.W., Bohlmann, J., and Seybold, S.J. 2007. Isolation and extreme sex-specific expression of cytochrome P450 genes in the bark beetle, Ips paraconfusus, following feeding on the phloem of host ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa. Insect Molecular Biology, 16:335 – 349. LINK

Ralph, S., Oddy C., Cooper, D., Yueh, H., Jancsik, S., Kolosova, N., Philippe, R.N., Aeschliman, D., White, R., Huber, D., Ritland, C.E., Benoit, F., Rigby, T., Nantel, A., Butterfield, Y.S.N., Kirkpatrick, R., Chun, E., Liu, J., Palmquist, D., Wynhoven, B., Stott, J., Yang, G., Barber, S., Holt, R.A., Siddiqui, A., Jones, S.J.M., Marra, M.A., Ellis, B.E., Douglas, C.J., Ritland, K., Bohlmann, J. 2006. Genomics of hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x deltoides) interacting with forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria): Normalized and full-length cDNA libraries, expressed sequence tags (ESTs), and a cDNA microarray for the study of insect-induced defenses in poplar. Molecular Ecology 15:1275 – 1297. LINK

Seybold, S.J., Huber, D.P.W., Lee, J.C., Graves, A.D., and Bohlmann, J. 2006. Pine monoterpenes and pine bark beetles: a marriage of convenience for defense and chemical communication. Phytochemistry Reviews 5:143 – 178. LINK

Fettig, C.J., McKelvey, S.R., and Huber, D.P.W. 2005. Nonhost angiosperm volatiles and verbenone disrupt response of western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), to attractant-baited traps. Journal of Economic Entomology 98:2041 – 2048. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Philippe, R.N., Goddard, K-A., Sturrock, R.N., and Bohlmann, J. 2005. Characterization of four terpene synthases from a methyl jasmonate-induced Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Pinaceae), cDNA library. Phytochemistry 66:1427 – 1439. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Philippe, R.N., Madilao, L., Sturrock, R.N., and Bohlmann, J. 2005. Changes in anatomy and terpene chemistry in Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco, seedlings following treatment of roots with methyl jasmonate. Tree Physiology 25:1075 – 1083. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Ralph, S., and Bohlmann, J.2004. Genomic hardwiring and phenotypic plasticity of terpenoid based defenses in conifers. Journal of Chemical Ecology 30:2399 – 2418. LINK

Huber, D.P.W.and Bohlmann, J. 2005. The role of terpene synthases in the direct and indirect defense of conifers against insect herbivory and fungal pathogens. In: Multigenic and Induced Systemic Resistance in Plants. S.Tuzun (ed.). Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. pp. 297 – 313. LINK

Bohlmann, J., Martin, D., Miller, B., and Huber, D.P.W. 2004. Terpenoid synthases in conifers and poplars. In: Plantation Forest Biotechnology for the 21st Century. C. Walter and M. Carson (eds.). Research Signpost, Kerala, India. pp. 181 – 201. LINK

Arimura, G-I., Huber, D.P.W., and Bohlmann, J. 2004. Forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria) induce local and systemic diurnal emissions of terpenoid volatiles in hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x deltoides): cDNA cloning, functional characterization, and patterns of gene expression of (-)-germacrene D synthase, PtdTPS1. The Plant Journal 37: 603-616. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., and Bohlmann, J. 2004. Terpene synthases and the mediation of plant-insect ecological interactions by terpenoids: a mini-review. In: Plant Adaptation: Molecular Genetics and Ecology. Q.C.B. Cronk, J. Whitton, R.H. Ree, and I.E.P. Taylor (eds.). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario. pp. 70-81. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., and Borden, J.H. 2003. Comparative behavioural responses of Dryocoetes confusus Swaine, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), and Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to angiosperm tree bark volatiles. Environmental Entomology 32:742 – 751. LINK

Borden, J.H., Chong, L.J., Earle, T.J., and Huber, D.P.W. 2003. Protection of lodgepole pine from attack by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) using high doses of verbenone in combination with nonhost bark volatiles. The Forestry Chronicle 79: 685 – 691. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Borden, J.H. and Stastny, M. 2001. Response of the pine engraver, Ips pini (Say) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), to conophthorin and other angiosperm bark volatiles in the avoidance of nonhosts. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 3: 225 – 232. LINK

Huber, D.P.W. and Borden, J.H. 2001. Protection of lodgepole pines from mass attack by mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, with nonhost angiosperm volatiles and verbenone. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 99:131 – 141. LINK

Huber, D.P.W. 2001. Responses of five species of coniferophagous bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to angiosperm bark volatiles. Ph.D. thesis, Simon Fraser University. LINK

Huber, D.P.W. and Borden, J.H. 2001. Angiosperm bark volatiles disrupt response of Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae, to attractant-baited traps. Journal of Chemical Ecology 27: 217 – 233. LINK

Borden, J.H., Chong, L.J., Gries, G., Gries, R., Huber, D.P.W., Pierce, H.D., Jr., and Wilson, I.M. 2001. Nonhost volatiles as repellents for conifer-infesting bark beetles. US Patent # 6217891. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Borden, J.H., Gries, R., and Jeans-Williams N.L. 2000. Differential bioactivity of conophthorin on four species of North American bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). The Canadian Entomologist 132: 649 – 653. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Gries, R., Borden, J.H., and Pierce, H.D., Jr. 2000. A survey of antennal responses by five species of coniferophagous bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to bark volatiles of six species of angiosperm trees. Chemoecology 10:103 – 113. LINK

Borden, J.H., Chong, L.J., Gries, G., Gries, R., Huber, D.P.W., Pierce, H.D., Jr., and Wilson, I.M. 2000. Nonhost volatiles as repellents for conifer-infesting bark beetles. US Patent # 6051612. LINK

Huber, D.P.W., Gries, R., Borden, J.H., and Pierce, H.D., Jr. 1999. Two pheromones of coniferophagous bark beetles found in the bark of non-host angiosperms. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 25: 805 – 816. LINK

Karkhoff-Schweizer, R.R., Huber, D.P.W., and Voordouw, G. 1995. Conservation of the genes for dissimilatory sulfite reductase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Archaeoglobus fulgidus allows their detection by PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61:290 – 296. LINK

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