Editing Populus (section)

==Ecology==
Poplars of the cottonwood section are often wetlands or [[riparian]] trees. The aspens are among the most important [[Boreal ecosystem|boreal]] broadleaf trees.<ref name="rdm" />

Poplars and aspens are important food plants for the [[larva]]e of a large number of [[Lepidoptera]] species. ''[[Pleurotus populinus]]'', the aspen oyster mushroom, is found exclusively on dead wood of ''Populus'' trees in North America.

Several species of ''Populus'' in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe have experienced heavy [[Forest dieback|dieback]]; this is thought in part to be due to ''[[Hornet moth|Sesia apiformis]]'' which bores into the trunk of the tree during its larval stage.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Martin-Garcia |first=J |title=Patterns and monitoring of Sesia apiformis infestations in poplar plantations at different spatial scales |journal=Journal of Applied Entomology}}</ref>