Influences of the biophysical environment on blister rust and mountain pine beetle, and their interactions, in whitebark pine forests

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan R. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Biophysical Environment

scholarly journals Landscape Topoedaphic Features Create Refugia from Drought and Insect Disturbance in a Lodgepole and Whitebark Pine Forest

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Cartwright
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Pine Forest ◽  
Boosted Regression Trees ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
Insect Outbreaks ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle

Droughts and insect outbreaks are primary disturbance processes linking climate change to tree mortality in western North America. Refugia from these disturbances—locations where impacts are less severe relative to the surrounding landscape—may be priorities for conservation, restoration, and monitoring. In this study, hypotheses concerning physical and biological processes supporting refugia were investigated by modelling the landscape controls on disturbance refugia that were identified using remotely sensed vegetation indicators. Refugia were identified at 30-m resolution using anomalies of Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Moisture Index in lodgepole and whitebark pine forests in southern Oregon, USA, in 2001 (a single-year drought with no insect outbreak) and 2009 (during a multi-year drought and severe outbreak of mountain pine beetle). Landscape controls on refugia (topographic, soil, and forest characteristics) were modeled using boosted regression trees. Landscape characteristics better explained and predicted refugia locations in 2009, when forest impacts were greater, than in 2001. Refugia in lodgepole and whitebark pine forests were generally associated with topographically shaded slopes, convergent environments such as valleys, areas of relatively low soil bulk density, and in thinner forest stands. In whitebark pine forest, refugia were associated with riparian areas along headwater streams. Spatial patterns in evapotranspiration, snowmelt dynamics, soil water storage, and drought-tolerance and insect-resistance abilities may help create refugia from drought and mountain pine beetle. Identification of the landscape characteristics supporting refugia can help forest managers target conservation resources in an era of climate-change exacerbation of droughts and insect outbreaks.

scholarly journals Whitebark pine mortality related to white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle outbreak, and water availability

Ecosphere ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Shanahan ◽  
Kathryn M. Irvine ◽  
David Thoma ◽  
Siri Wilmoth ◽  
Andrew Ray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Availability ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
White Pine Blister Rust ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle

Distribution and severity of white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetle on whitebark pine in British Columbia

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1051-1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M Campbell ◽  
Joseph A Antos
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
The United States ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
White Pine Blister Rust ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle

A major decline in the abundance of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) has recently occurred in the United States, primarily as a result of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fisch. ex Raben.). However, no information on the status of whitebark pine in British Columbia, Canada, was available. We sampled 54 subalpine stands in British Columbia, examining all whitebark pine trees within plots for evidence of blister rust and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk.) damage. About 21% of all whitebark pine stems were dead, and blister rust was the most important agent of mortality. Of all living trees sampled, 27% had obvious blister rust infection (cankers), but actual incidence was suspected of being as high as 44% (using all evidence of blister rust). Blister rust incidence and whitebark pine mortality were significantly related to differences in stand structure and the presence of Ribes spp., but relationships with local climate and site variables were absent or weak. The lack of strong relationships with climate suggests favourable conditions for the spread of the disease throughout most of British Columbia. Very little evidence of mountain pine beetle was found. Overall, the prospects for whitebark pine in British Columbia do not appear good; a large reduction in population levels seems imminent.

scholarly journals Whitebark and Foxtail Pine in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks: Initial Assessment of Stand Structure and Condition

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan C.B. Nesmith ◽  
Micah Wright ◽  
Erik S. Jules ◽  
Shawn T. McKinney
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
White Pine Blister Rust ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Foxtail Pine

The Inventory & Monitoring Division of the U.S. National Park Service conducts long-term monitoring to provide park managers information on the status and trends in biological and environmental attributes including white pines. White pines are foundational species in many subalpine ecosystems and are currently experiencing population declines. Here we present results on the status of whitebark and foxtail pine in the southern Sierra Nevada of California, an area understudied relative to other parts of their ranges. We selected random plot locations in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks using an equal probability spatially-balanced approach. Tree- and plot-level data were collected on forest structure, composition, demography, cone production, crown mortality, and incidence of white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetle. We measured 7899 whitebark pine, 1112 foxtail pine, and 6085 other trees from 2012–2017. All factors for both species were spatially highly variable. Whitebark pine occurred in nearly-pure krummholz stands at or near treeline and as a minor component of mixed species forests. Ovulate cones were observed on 25% of whitebark pine and 69% of foxtail pine. Whitebark pine seedlings were recorded in 58% of plots, and foxtail pine seedlings in only 21% of plots. Crown mortality (8% in whitebark, 6% in foxtail) was low and significantly higher in 2017 compared to previous years. Less than 1% of whitebark and zero foxtail pine were infected with white pine blister rust and <1% of whitebark and foxtail pine displayed symptoms of mountain pine beetle attack. High elevation white pines in the southern Sierra Nevada are healthy compared to other portions of their range where population declines are significant and well documented. However, increasing white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetle occurrence, coupled with climate change projections, portend future declines for these species, underscoring the need for broad-scale collaborative monitoring.

scholarly journals Effects of Disturbance on Tree Community Dynamics in Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) Ecosystems

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Amberson ◽  
Megan Keville ◽  
Cara Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Pinus Albicaulis ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
White Pine Blister Rust ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Tree Community ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.), an ecologically important tree species in high-elevation ecosystems of western North America, is threatened by white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola Fischer) and increased pressure from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) due to climate warming. In addition, there is concern that fire suppression may be leading to successional replacement of whitebark by late-seral trees. Despite widespread knowledge that the tree is in decline, there is limited understanding of its successional dynamics, particularly in forests disturbed by white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetle. Our objective was to examine how disturbances have affected forest composition, structure, and seedling regeneration over a 22-year period (1990–2012) at 19 sites in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State (USA). Over that time, 13 sites (68%) were infected by white pine blister rust, 11 (58%) were disturbed by mountain pine beetle, and 5 (26%) experienced wildfire. Tree community composition changed significantly during the study period, primarily due to significant mortality of mature (≥20-cm diameter at breast height) whitebark pine. Despite loss of mature whitebark trees, we found little evidence of successional replacement by other tree species. Whitebark seedling density was unrelated to basal area of mature whitebark pine, but positively correlated with the presence of herb and shrub cover. Our results demonstrate the value of long-term repeated measurements for elucidating successional dynamics.

scholarly journals Whitebark Pine in Crater Lake and Lassen Volcanic National Parks: Assessment of Stand Structure and Condition in a Management and Conservation Perspective

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenell I. Jackson ◽  
Sean B. Smith ◽  
Jonathan C.B. Nesmith ◽  
Leigh Ann Starcevich ◽  
Jennifer S. Hooke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Crater Lake ◽  
Cronartium Ribicola ◽  
Whitebark Pine ◽  
Cone Production ◽  
Rust Infection ◽  
Blister Rust ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis. Engelm.) is vulnerable to a number of threats including an introduced pathogen (Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fisch.), epidemic levels of native mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins), fire suppression, and climate change. To describe the structure of whitebark pine populations in two national parks in the southern Cascades (Crater Lake, Oregon, USA (CRLA) and Lassen Volcanic, California, USA (LAVO) National Parks), we surveyed trees in 30 × 50 × 50 m plots in both parks. We used these plots to describe the extent of white pine blister rust (the disease caused by Cronartium ribicola), mountain pine beetle occurrence, and to elucidate factors influencing the presence of pests and pathogens, cone production, and canopy kill. In each plot, we recorded data related to tree health, including symptoms of blister rust and mountain pine beetle, and reproductive vigor (cone production). In both parks, encroachment from other species, particularly mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière), was negatively associated with cone production. In CRLA, water stress was a good predictor of blister rust infection and cone production. For CRLA and LAVO, the presence of mountain pine beetle and blister rust was associated with higher canopy kill for whitebark pine. Lastly, we found evidence for a pest-pathogen interaction, mountain pine beetle attack was greater for trees that showed symptoms of blister rust infection in CRLA. Our results indicate that whitebark pine populations in the southern Cascade Range are experiencing moderate levels of blister rust infection compared with other sites across the species range, and that competition from shade-tolerant species may result in an additional threat to whitebark pine in both parks. We present our findings in the context of park management and situate them in range-wide and regional conservation strategies aimed at the protection and restoration of a declining species.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document