Overview of entomological research concerning the forest ecosystems of the northern rim of the Mediterranean Sea.

An overview of data concerning forest areas in the 16 countries along the northern rim of the Mediterranean Sea is given and indicators of insect damage are provided, whenever available. A database has been prepared by retrieving references from the CAB database for the period 1972-2001, for each main host plant and insect pest. Pines are the most intensively studied trees, particularly because they are vulnerable to two very important pests, the pine processionary moth and the pine bast scale. Among the insects that attack broadleaved trees, Lymantria dispar is by far the most often studied. Information taken from general sources and handbooks concerning forest insects in each country is presented and compared. The activities of international research groups and networks focused on Mediterranean forest entomology are summed up. Present research trends in this field are discussed and the objectives of ongoing projects at the European as well as the national level are presented. Finally, suggestions about future work in this field are given.