Document Actions
Predicting forest succession in the wake of invasive species establishment
PARTNERS: University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
SUMMARY: Forest health is declining due to a multitude of potentially invasive insects, pathogens, and plants. Research was proposed in April 2006 with the purpose of broadening the knowledge base on exotic species’ invasion, establishment, and ensuing interactions with endemic species by predicting forest ecosystem processes and structure following invasive species establishment. The objectives of this work are to utilize vegetation assessments and modeling of current forests in southeastern Kentucky to predict the outcome of establishment by selected non-native invasive species. This project seeks to (1) evaluate current vegetation and stand characteristics, and (2) predict the outcome of invasion and establishment of exotic bark/ambrosia beetles, the hemlock woolly adelgid, and sudden oak death on future forests of the region. This approach could be extrapolated to predict future forest structure and composition following establishment by additional non-native species.
EFETAC's ROLE: This project is supported by EFETAC funding.
STATUS: Ongoing
PROGRESS: To document current conditions, researchers used standard Forest Service protocols to assess woody plant composition and structure and to characterize groundcover vegetation and fuels, including the presence and relative abundance of nonnative invasive plants. A graduate student performed simulations of ground-censused data to model selected invasions, with potential for modeling additional pest impacts. A manuscript on the effects of hemlock woolly adelgid is in press (see below); an additional manuscript on sudden oak death is currently in review.
Spaulding, H.L. and L.K. Rieske. 2010. The aftermath of an invasion: Structure and composition of Central Appalachian hemlock forests following establishment of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae. Biological Invasions. In press. DOI:10.1007/s10530-010-9704-0
LINKS:
University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
CONTACT:
Updated May 2010
