Mismatch between Herbivore Behavior and Demographics Contributes to Scale-Dependence of Host Susceptibility in Two Pine Species
Authors: Ylioja, Tiina1; Slone, Daniel H.2; Ayres, Matthew P.3
Source: Forest Science, Volume 51, Number 6, December 2005 , pp. 522-531(10)
Abstract:
The impacts on forests of tree-killing bark beetles can depend on the species composition of potential host trees. Host susceptibility might be an intrinsic property of tree species, or it might depend on spatial patterning of alternative host species. We compared the susceptibility of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Virginia pine (P. virginiana) to southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) at two hierarchical levels of geographic scale: within beetle infestations in heterospecific stands (extent ranging from 0.28 to 0.65 ha), and across a forest landscape (extent 72,500 ha) that was dominated by monospecific stands. In the former, beetles preferentially attacked Virginia pine (tree mortality = 65–100% in Virginia pine versus 0–66% in loblolly pine), but in the latter, loblolly stands were more susceptible than Virginia stands. This hierarchical transition in host susceptibility was predicted from knowledge of (1) a behavioral preference of beetles for attacking loblolly versus Virginia pine, (2) a negative correlation between preference and performance, and (3) a mismatch in the domain of scale between demographics and host selection by individuals. There is value for forest management in understanding the processes that can produce hierarchical transitions in ecological patterns. FOR. SCI. 51(6):522–531.Keywords: Spatial scale; hierarchical transition; disturbance; Scolytinae; Pinus; environmental management; forest; forest management; forest resources; forestry; forestry research; forestry science; natural resources; natural resource management
Document Type: Regular article
Affiliations: 1: Department of Biological Sciences Dartmouth College Hanover NH 03755 Present Address: Suonenjoki Research Station Finnish Forest Research Institute Juntintie 154 Suonenjoki Finland FI-77600 Phone: +358-10-211-4916, Fax: +358-10-211-4801, Email: t 2: Southern Research Station USDA Forest Service 2500 Shreveport Highway Pineville LA 03755 Present Address: USGS Florida Integrated Science Center 412 NE 16th Ave. Gainesville FL 32601-3701, Email: dslone@usgs.gov 3: Department of Biological Sciences Dartmouth College Hanover NH 03755, Email: matthew.p.ayres@dartmouth.edu
