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Explore the impact of Beech Bark Disease on regional forest composition. Learn about the complex spread pattern and effects on beech density. Discover the value of American Beech in wildlife habitats and wood uses.
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Spread of Beech Bark Disease in the Eastern United States and its Relationship to Regional Forest Composition World Conference on Natural Resource Modeling June 14-7, 2005 Humboldt State University Randall Morin, Sandy Liebhold, Patrick Tobin, Kurt Gottschalk, and Gino Luzader USDA Forest Service
Uses of American Beech • Valuable for wildlife • Only nut producing tree species in the northern hardwood forest type • Beech wood has many uses
Beech Bark Disease Sites of Nectria infection become walled off with callus tissue, which gives the tree a pockmarked appearance and an exotic or native canker fungus Beech bark disease is an insect-fungus complex involving the beech scale insect Nectria coccinea var. faginata or the native Nectria galligena Cryptococcus fagisuga
Research Questions • Is the spread of BBD characterized by continuous radial expansion or by a more complex pattern of discontinuous spread? • Is the rate of spread affected by beech density? • What is the effect of BBD on regional forest species composition?
Current (2003) 27% of habitat 57% of host
Conclusions • BBD is characterized by continuous radial expansion and a more complex pattern of discontinuous spread • Rate of spread does not seem to be affected by beech density • BBD may result in increases in associated species
QUESTIONS? CONTACT INFORMATIONRandall Morin11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200Newtown Square, PA 19073610-557-4054rsmorin@fs.fed.us