Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the invasive nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, poses a growing threat to East Asian coniferous forests, which is further exacerbated by climate change. While studies have successfully applied Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) models to map the potential spread of PWD, they have primarily focused on broad spatial scales and climatic factors. This highlights the need for fine-scale, integrative modeling approaches that also account for environmental and anthropogenic factors. Therefore, we applied the MaxEnt model combined with change vector analysis to evaluate the spatial risk and potential future spread of PWD in Andong-si, Republic of Korea, under the SSP1-2.6 climate scenario. We integrated forest structure, soil conditions, topography, climate variables, and anthropogenic factors to generate high-resolution risk maps and identify the most influential environmental drivers. Notably, we demonstrated that historical infection proximity and isothermality strongly influence habitat suitability. We also, for the first time, projected an eastward shift of high-risk areas in Andong-si under future climate conditions. These findings provide timely insights for designing proactive surveillance networks, implementing risk-based monitoring, and developing climate-resilient management strategies. Our integrative modeling framework offers decision-support tools that can enhance early detection and targeted interventions against invasive forest pests under environmental change.

Control measures for pine wilt disease (PWD) are widely implemented, yet multi-year field comparisons that track biodiversity trajectories across contrasting management regimes remain limited. We conducted a 3-year (2023–2025) replicated study across nine pine-forest sites in Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea, comparing three management regimes (Clear-cut, Fumigation/Aerial, Unmanaged) to evaluate regime-associated patterns in ground-active beetle diversity, activity density, and community composition while considering understory vegetation cover. Regime-associated differences were consistent but dynamic: Unmanaged stands generally supported higher richness and Shannon diversity (H′), Clear-cut stands showed the lowest diversity immediately after harvest, and Fumigation/Aerial stands maintained the highest activity density. Assemblage composition separated strongly among regimes within each year, and indicator taxa highlighted regime-associated assemblage states, notably Pheropsophus jessoensis (Fumigation/Aerial), Carabus tuberculosus (Clear-cut), and Blindus strigosus (Unmanaged). Because regimes were assigned at the site level and were partially confounded by geographic region, we interpreted these outcomes as region-structured, regime-associated patterns rather than strictly causal effects. We recommend integrating PWD management with retention forestry (e.g., partial canopy and deadwood retention) and routine biodiversity monitoring to reconcile effective disease suppression with the long-term conservation of forest biodiversity.

This study investigated the distribution of pine wood nematodes (PWNs, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and their co-occurrence with B. mucronatus in recently dead pine trees across coastal and inland regions while monitoring the seasonal emergence patterns of Monochamus alternatus from 2021 to 2023. Nematodes were extracted from felled trees and beetle bodies using the Baermann funnel method. Aggregation pheromone traps were used to monitor vector activity and to assess temperature-dependent emergence. The results showed a negative correlation between PWN and B. mucronatus density (r = −0.73, p < 0.01), which prompted tests on interspecific interactions. M. alternatus emergence was positively associated with average temperature (r = 0.74–0.78), supporting the temperature-informed surveillance timing in this dataset. These findings highlight the role of climate-driven dynamics in shaping vector behavior and nematode population structures. This study supports the development of sustainable temperature-responsive management strategies for controlling pine wilt disease. These strategies provide a foundation for climate-resilient forest health and long-term ecosystem sustainability.