Periodical cicadas suffer legacy effects of century-old forest removal

Ian Chan; Guerin E Brown; Fabiola Castaneda-Santiago; Jacky S Chitty; Tamra A Elliott; Mattie J Gose; Charlotte M Hanfland; Stephen D Hendrix; Carter R Leerhoff; Susan K Meerdink; Adam M Skibbe; MaKella J Steffensen; Christian L Weinrich; Andrew A Forbes

doi:10.1002/ecy.70487

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Periodical cicadas suffer legacy effects of century-old forest removal

Journal article

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Periodical cicadas suffer legacy effects of century-old forest removal

Ian Chan, Guerin E Brown, Fabiola Castaneda-Santiago, Jacky S Chitty, Tamra A Elliott, Mattie J Gose, Charlotte M Hanfland, Stephen D Hendrix, Carter R Leerhoff, Susan K Meerdink, …

Ecology (Durham), Vol.107(9), e70487

09/04/2026

DOI: 10.1002/ecy.70487

PMID: 42695379

Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access

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Abstract

Periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.) ranges have continued to decline even as their habitat has rebounded from historic lows. This counterintuitive trajectory may be a consequence of Magicicada's limited dispersal capabilities combined with their requirement that individual host trees survive across decades. Indeed, we find that the presence of Magicicada breeding populations is best predicted by tree cover in 1930, not by present-day tree cover, and that cicadas have largely not recolonized restored habitat even after nearly 100 years. A model based on empirical measures of tree cover turnover and cicada dispersal distances suggests that cicada ranges will continue to decline under nearly all conditions. A managed relocation of 20,126 adult Magicicada failed, reinforcing that dispersal to new sites will be difficult to artificially accelerate. Preservation of habitat across centuries may be the only bollard standing between periodical cicadas and their extinction.

dispersal

extinction

forest turnover

landscape change

Magicicada

managed relocations

UIOWA OA Agreement

Details

Title: Subtitle: Periodical cicadas suffer legacy effects of century-old forest removal
Creators: Ian Chan - University of Iowa
Guerin E Brown - University of Iowa
Fabiola Castaneda-Santiago - University of Iowa
Jacky S Chitty - University of Iowa
Tamra A Elliott - University of Iowa
Mattie J Gose - University of Iowa
Charlotte M Hanfland - University of Iowa
Stephen D Hendrix - University of Iowa
Carter R Leerhoff - University of Iowa
Susan K Meerdink - University of Iowa
Adam M Skibbe - University of Iowa
MaKella J Steffensen - University of Iowa
Christian L Weinrich - University of Iowa
Andrew A Forbes - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Ecology (Durham), Vol.107(9), e70487
DOI: 10.1002/ecy.70487
PMID: 42695379
NLM abbreviation: Ecology
ISSN: 1939-9170
eISSN: 1939-9170
Publisher: Wiley; HOBOKEN
Grant note: 2149361 / Division of Biological Infrastructure
Language: English
Date published: 09/04/2026
Academic Unit: School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability; Biology; University College Courses
Record Identifier: 9985222746702771

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