Download Responses of Hardwood Forests in the Great Lakes Region to

Effects of Beech Bark Disease and
Silvicultural Management in Northern
Hardwood Ecosystems: Tree Growth, Tree
Regeneration, and Invertebrate Biodiversity
John Witter
Jennifer Stoyenoff
Erin Thompson
Holly Petrillo
Julie Yocum
Beech Bark Disease Monitoring in Michigan
Causal Agents:
•Beech scale
•2 species Nectria
Exotic pest
• Objective: Temporally and spatially monitor the impact
of beech bark disease (BBD) on beech trees and
northern hardwood ecosystems
• Cooperative Project between U of M, MDNR, USDA
Forest Service, MSU and MTU
• Monitoring plot system
– Intensive (40) and Extensive (140)
– Measuring numerous variables that together create a
picture of the health of the forest
McIntire-Stennis Project 2002-2004
• The monitoring study will continue during the
next three years and that study is completely
funded by MDNR
• However, MDNR funds cover the monitoring
aspect (temporal and spatial change) of BBD in
MI forests. It does not cover any funding for
research.
• With this McIntire-Stennis project we are going to
address 3 research areas: tree growth, tree
regeneration, and invertebrate biodiversity
Research Questions
• What effects do the presence of BBD and
silvicultural treatments in northern hardwood
stands have on the growth of existing American
beech trees?
• What effects do the presence of BBD and
silvicultural treatments in northern hardwood
stands have on tree regeneration?
• What effects do the presence of BBD and
silvicultural treatments have on biodiversity of key
invertebrate groups present in northern hardwood
ecosystems?
Treatment Types: Three Factors Involved
• Geographic location (2)
– Lower Peninsula, Upper Peninsula
• Presence of exotic scale (2)
– No scale and heavy scale
• Silvicultural treatment (3)
– No silvicultural treatment
– Recent selection cut (past 2 years)
– Old selection cut (past 10-14 years)
• 2 x 2 x 3 x 5 (replicates/treatment) = 60 stands
Growth of American beech
Tree Regeneration
• Size distribution
and origin (seed or
sprout)
• Looking at
seedlings by height
class
• Overall beech
seedling density for
each plot
Biodiversity and Invertebrate Groups
• Pitfall traps
• Collected organisms will be counted and grouped
by major taxa
• 2 groups (ground beetles and isopods) will be
identified to the species level
• In future years we will form partnerships to bring
on additional cooperators that will work with
groups such as springtails, ants, spiders and
centipedes
Expected Outcomes
• How will BBD and management actions affect key
processes in the northern hardwood forest (tree
growth and regeneration)
• How will BBD and management actions affect the
biodiversity of various invertebrate groups in
northern hardwood forests
• It will increase our knowledge of ground beetles
and isopods and will give us new knowledge on
using these groups as indicators of ecosystem
functioning and change in temperate hardwood
forests