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

Positional Precision Analysis of Orthomosaics Derived from Drone Captured Aerial Imagery

The advancement of drones has revolutionized the production of aerial imagery. Using a drone with its associated flight control and image processing applications, a high resolution orthorectified mosaic from multiple individual aerial images can be produced within just a few hours. However, the positional precision and accuracy of any orthomosaic produced should not be overlooked. In this project, we flew a DJI Phantom drone once a month over a seven-month period over Oak Grove Cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas, USA resulting in seven orthomosaics of the same location. We identified 30 ground control points (GCPs) based on permanent features in the cemetery and recorded the geographic coordinates of each GCP on each of the seven orthomosaics. Analyzing the cluster of each GCP containing seven coincident positions depicts the positional precision of the orthomosaics. Our analysis is an attempt to answer the fundamental question, “Are we obtaining the same geographic coordinates for the same feature found on every aerial image mosaic captured by a drone over time?” The results showed that the positional precision was higher at the center of the orthomosaic compared to the edge areas. In addition, the positional precision was lower parallel to the direction of the drone flight

What\u27s past is prologue : our legacy - our future, 1990 National Interpreters Workshop

... the topics of the papers presented at the 1990 National Interpreters Workshop reflect a dynamic NAI membership. While firmly rooted to principles which have been developed in over a millennium, presenters show a healthy use of past knowledge as prologue to an active, vital present ...https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ebooks/1005/thumbnail.jp

Can We Improve the Salinity Tolerance of Genotypes of Taxidium by Using Varietal and Hybrid Crosses?

Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. var. distichum [baldcypress (BC)], Taxodium distichum var. mexicanum Gordon [Montezuma cypress (MC)], and a Taxodium hybrid (‘Nanjing Beauty’: BC · MC cross, T302) were evaluated for salt tolerance in 2006 at Nacogdoches, TX. Plants were irrigated weekly with four levels of salinity [0, 1, 3.5, and 6 ppt (0, 17, 60, and 102 mol[1]m–3)] for 13 weeks and then 0, 2, 7, and 12 ppt (0, 34, 120, and 204 mol[1]m–3) for another 12 weeks. Salinity treatments did not have a significant effect on growth rate; however, there were significant differences in growth rate among the three genotypes. Genotype T302 produced the greatest wet weight, whereas MC had stronger apical dominance and exhibited the greatest increase in height over the course of study. As expected, sodium (Na) concentration in Taxodium leaves increased as sea salt concentrations increased but did not tilt Na/potassium (K) ratios to stressful disproportions. Of the three genotypes, BC exhibited the highest leaf content of Na, calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe); MC had the lowest leaf content of Na, Ca, S, and Fe; and T302 was intermediate. The benefits of using a hybrid cross (T302) that maintains greater biomass than BC or MC across a range of salinities must be weighed against the potential additional pruning and training necessary for cutting-grown clones relative to BC and MC propagated from seed and flood tolerance relative to BC. Still, combining the best characteristics of different varieties of T. distichum should facilitate the production of favorable genotypes tolerant to a number of soil physical and chemical property fluctuations for arboricultural operations

Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Infestation Rates as Influenced by Site and Stand Characteristics in Loblolly Pine Plantations in East Texas

Three young loblolly pine plantations grown on contrasting soil types produced quantitatively and qualitatively different host material for pine tip moths during 1985 and 1986. Amounts, periodicity, and availability of soil moisture regulated internal moisture conditions within host trees. Host xylem moisture potential in conjunction with soil nutrient status governed tree growth and influenced pine tip moth infestation rates. Pines on a sandy site exhibited the poorest growth with lowest infestation rates, indicative of low-quality hosts with little if any tolerance to damage. A clayey site produced vigorous plant growth with moderate infestation rates. The less apparent hosts appeared capable of withstanding pine tip moth attack and overcoming damage. Pines on a loamy site grew at moderate rates and received the highest infestation rates. This moderate growth indicated susceptible stand conditions

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