Effects of fertilizer and herbicide application on Nantucket pine tip moth infestation (Lep., Tortricidae)

A study of fertilizer and herbicide e}ects on Nantucket pine tip moth (NPTM), Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock) infestations was conducted in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L) plantations in Nacogdoches Co. Texas from 0877 to 0878. Both fertilizer and herbicide applications had effects on NPTM infestation level, pupal weight and host tree oleoresin production. Nitrogen fertilization increased infestation levels, whereas, phosphorus applications tends to decrease infestation rate. Herbicide treatment had a negative effect on NPTM infestations possibly because of decreased moisture stress and increased tree vigour. This is in contrast to general observations of increased NPTM infestations associated with reducing competing vegetation. Fertilizer application alone did not significantly improve pine growth due to competing vegetation. A combination of fertilizer and herbicide achieved the best growth

Effects of fertilization and herbicides on growth of young loblolly pine and infestations of Nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

A 2-year-old pine plantation was selected to receive treatments of fertilizers and herbicides to evaluate effects on Nantucket pine tip moth infestations and the tree growthparameters of height, diameter and volume increment. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, and hexazinone and sulfometuron methyl herbicides were used in creating six treatments: (i) control; (ii) phosphorus; (iii) nitrogen and phosphorus; (iv) phosphorus and herbicide; (v) nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicide; and (vi) herbicide. Treatments were applied in 1987 and 1988. In 1987, trees treated with nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicide had significantly greater height, diameter and volume growth than trees not receiving fertilizer treatments, but did not have significantly higher tip moth infestations than control trees. Treatments receiving phosphorus only had much lower tip moth infestation rates than other treatments except nitrogen and phosphorus. In 1988, tip moth infestations were uniformly low, with no differences in treatment effects observed

Characteristics of bark beetle infestations in East Texas during a period of low southern pine beetle activity

The species composition nf southern pine bark beetle infestations was examined in east Texas in 1979, A total of 545 infestations were located in thirteen 18,000 acresurvey blocks. Ips spp, were observed in 98.9 of ihe infestations, with black turpentine beetles, Dendrnclonus lerebrans Olivier, present in 42.4 % ofthe infestations. Southern pine beetles, D. fronlulis Zimmemiann. were only observed in 11 infestations (2.0%), and were less abundant than other bark beetle species in these infestations. Almost 80% of the infestations were associated with a recognizable pre-disposing factor (lightning, fire, etc.). Most Infestations were small (less than six trees), though infestations associated with fire damage typically contained more than five infested trees. In the absence of an identified pre-disposing factor, infestations were frequently located in stands rated as high or moderate hazard for southern pine beetl

Life in a Pine Cone

This exercise focuses on a little-known microhabitat -- the pine cone. A pine cone\u27s primary function is, of course, reproduction ... housing the seeds of the next generation of conifer trees. However, pine cones are also the basis of a food web that provides both resources and living space for a wide variety of small arthropod species. The procedure outlined below is designed to examine this microhabitat and compare its community diversity among different species of conifers and habitats. The exercise is based on a 1985 paper, Life in a Pine Cone, by David L. Kulhavy, Robert S. Baldridge and James W. Bing published in Texas Natural History. The paper is the basis of a Ward\u27s Bulletin of the same title. The procedures have been modified somewhat in cooperation with D. L. Kulhavy for use in this exercise. Students, or teams of students, will collect a standard sample of cones from a species of pine tree in a habitat of their choice, extract the arthropods associated with their cones, and provide numerical and descriptive data in a standard format. To ensure comparability between samples, a sampling protocol will be followed

Hazard Rating of Parks Trees and Establishment of Adopt-A-Tree Program, Nacogdoches, Texas

The purpose of this project is to inventory parks and recreation trees in the city of Nacogdoches, Texas, using a Trimble Pro XRS GPS unit to establish location; and to construct a geographic information system (GIS) database for forest health that can be updated as forest health conditions change in the future. Tree health data collected will include structure of the main bole and branches; insect and disease pests; life expectancy; and shape of the crown and cultural history. An Adopt-a-Tree program, developed in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University, will be established to document planting and maintenance of the urban forest. Each tree planted will have the person planting the tree, a digital picture and the tree species entered into a GIS database for later retrieval, spatial analysis and visual/map display. The project follows the constructs of landscape ecology for documenting structure, function and change of the urban forest

Incorporating A Forest Insect Alphabet and Edge of LIfe: Forest Pathology Art into a Forest Insects and Disease Class

In Forest Insects and Diseases, a junior level forestry course, students combine knowledge into synthesis and creativity by creating a booklet of a forest insect or disease from either A Forest Insect Alphabet by David Kulhavy and Charles Jones or Edge of Life: Forest Pathology Art by Michelle Rozic and David Kulhavy into an interactive student guide with knowledge skills, reflection, activities and synthesis. Students present a 20 x 20 PowerPoint (20 slides, 20 seconds per slide) and an interactive performance with art, music over their booklets. Students use small group discussion, interactive questions and answers and reviews to complete their final products. A Forest Insect Alphabet is a hand printed and hand bound fine arts press book depicting forest insects in wood carved images in both color and black and white. Included also are four-line quatrains of songs and scientific information on each of the insects. Forest pathogens are selected from Edge of Life: Forest Pathology Art; this book displays both science and art on the importance of forest pathogens in society including impact on the forests, and uses in medicine and art. As part of a course in Forest Insects and Diseases, students select one of the 26 forest insects in A Forest Insect Alphabet or one of the 31 forest pathogens from Edge of Life: Forest Pathology Art and complete a workbook incorporating current issues, interviews with scientists with expertise on the insect or disease. Copies of the original artwork from the books are added with activities, reflections and pedagogy incorporating knowledge acquisition, synthesis of information and creativity. The best presentation and workbook is selected for display at the annual Undergraduate Research Conference at Stephen F. Austin State University. This teaching program was selected as a High Impact Teaching exercise as part of the Quality Enhancement Program at Stephen F. Austin State University

Accuracy Assessment on Drone Measured Heights at Different Height Levels

The advancement in unmanned aerial system (UAS) technology has made it possible to attain an aerial unit, commonly known as a drone, at an affordable price with increasing precision and accuracy in positioning and photographing. While aerial photography is the most common use of a drone, many of the models available in the market are also capable of measuring height, the height of the drone above ground, or the altitude above the mean sea level. On board a drone, a barometer is used to control the flight height by detecting the atmospheric pressure change; while a GPS receiver is mainly used to determine the horizontal position of the drone. While both barometer and GPS are capable of measuring height, they are based on different algorithms. Our study goal was to assess the accuracy of height measurement by a drone, with different landing procedures and GPS settings

Susceptibility of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Colony Areas to Southern Pine Beetle Infestation in East Texas

Seven red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) colonies and stands within a one-quarter mile radius were hazard-rated for susceptibility to the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus Frontalis Zimm.). Individual colonies generally were ranked low to moderate hazard using the Texas Hazard system and moderate hazard using the National Forest Risk system. Within one quarter mile of the colonies, 28% of the stands were low hazard, 25% moderate, 0.3% high and 7.5% extreme with Texas Hazard. Four percent were low hazard, 52% moderate, and 6% high with National Forest Risk. Moderate to extreme hazard stands within one-quarter mile of the colonies could increase the probability of beetle infestation in these areas, thus threatening foraging areas and individual colony trees. Documented bark beetles activity within colonies did not correspond directly with hazard ratings, suggesting that development of a different model may be needed for these RCW colonies to incorporate stand characteristics disturbances, cavity tree condition, and other bark beetle species

Nantucket pine tip moth control and loblolly pine growth in intensive pine culture: two-year results

The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock) (NPTM), is an important pine regeneration insect in the Eastern and Southern United States (Berisford 1987). Larval feeding in meristematic tissue of young pines causes significant damage, particularly in areas where forest regeneration favors its proliferation (Yates and others 1981). Southeastern industrial forestry currently emphasizes establishment of large, homogeneous pine plantations to maximize production of wood and fiber. This forest management practice also creates optimal conditions for phytophagous insects, whose sole or primary hosts are pine trees. Increased damage by NPTM following vegetation control treatments may include improved suitability of pine tissue for larvae and a greater abundance of NPTM feeding sites (Ross and Berisford 1990). NPTM infestation rates tended to increase as site preparation intensity increased and levels of competing vegetation and overstory decreased (Berisford and Kulman 1967, Hertel and Benjamin 1977, Hood and others 1988, Lantagne and Burger 1988, White and others 1984, Zutter and others 1986). Miller and Stephen (1983) indicated competing herbaceous and woody vegetation provides food and shelter for NPTM predators and parasites