DOCSLIB.ORG

Investigating the Relationship Between Cryptococcus Fagisuga and Fagus Grandifolia in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Investigating the Relationship Between Cryptococcus Fagisuga and Fagus Grandifolia in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Portland State University PDXScholar Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations Biology 1-1-2002 Investigating the Relationship Between Cryptococcus Fagisuga and Fagus Grandifolia in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Ashley B. Morris University of Florida Randall L. Small University of Tennessee - Knoxville Mitchell B. Cruzan Portland State University Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/bio_fac Part of the Plant Biology Commons, and the Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons Citation Details Morris A.B., R.L. Small, and M.B. Cruzan. 2002. Investigating the Relationship Between Cryptococcus Fagisuga and Fagus Grandifolia in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southeastern Naturalist 1:415-424. This Article is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 2002 SOUTIIE;\STERN NATURAWT 114):4 15--124 INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHJP BETWEEN CRYPTOCOCCUS FAG1SUGA A D FAGUS GRANDlFOLlA IN GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK A SIILEY B . M ORKIS " R ANDAll. L. SMALL 1. AND MITCIIELL B. CRUZAr\ 2.. I AI3STRACT - The high elcvmioll beech ga ps of lhc Grc<l1 Smoky Mountains have become the kil ling fron t of beech b'lrk di sc.lsc. Th is insectffullgill pat hoge n WIIS introd uced into Nova Scotia in the late 1800':-.. and has since spread so uthward to the SOllth l! n1 Appul:H.: hi:ub. In affected stands. mortality of beech stems fre ­ quently approaChes 90 lO 100 percenl. We used inter-s imple sequence repem s (lSSR ) markers to OI<.; sess the relationship betwecn ho:-. t genotype and deg ree of pathogcn infecti on in beech tree~ in Great Smoky MoullIaim. Na tioTlil1 P:lrk . We lI~ed ~ ICllbli c , iI :lnalyl'lcs to ICl'It lhc relationship berween stem dhlJ11cler and degree ofpilthogcn infection . We found no correlation bc tween host genotype ~lI1d dcgrcc of infection. We did lind a !'igniricmll posi tive rclati o n ~ hip beLwcen SICIll sil..c :.md degree of in fec lilln. Among threc ~ t CI11 size class e ~. l'I lllalkM s t e l11 ~ « 1.5 cm) were Ica ~ t likely to be infected. while largesL stems (>3.0 cm) wcre mOM likely LO be.! infecLcd. ImplicaLions for future ~ tud ic..') are di sc u s~ed . INTRODUCTION In recent years. populations of Fag/ls grclIItiijo/io Ehrh. (A mcricH n beech) ha e been deci mated ac ross the species' range due to an insect l11 ed ial ~ d fungal pa th ogen complex known us beech bark di sease (13BD). The insect component of lhis complex was acciden tally introduced into Nova ScotiH around 1890 by way of infected nursery stoc k. and has since prcad westward and southward to cover Illllch of the northern range of A merican beech (Ehrlich 1934. Houslon C\ 0 1. )979) (Fi g. I ). The woolly beech sc ale (CryplOc()cclfsfagi.w ga Lindinger) infects beech bark. w hich lhen provides u pathway ror infec tion by Nee/ria coccillea var./llgil/ata Lohman. Walso n. and Ayers or N. gal/igel/o Bresadola. IwO specie, of pmhogcnic fungi (Ehrlich 1934. Gavin and Pea rt 1993. I-I ouslon 1983). A recentllloiccular survey of N. cocdllea var.j"agiI/ClI(I indicates that ill1lay not be native to the United States , although the timing of its in ithll inlroduclion is uncert ain (Mahoney el al. 1999). The chronology of lhe disease has been well documenled (Ehrlich 1934. Houslon el " I. 1979. Jones 1986). A s this disease s pread~ lhroughout the range of A merica n beech, average mortality of beech w ithin a popu lation is estimated to be I Dcpartment of B01<ln y. University of FloridiJ. G:linc~vi ll e. FL 326 11 -8526: OIl1lnrri s@ bol<lny.ufl.edu. : DCpafll1lCIll or Botany. Univcrsity of Tenn essee. Kn oxvill e. TN 37996. I DepartlllcllI of Ei.:o logy ;"ind Evolulionnry Biology. ni ver... ilY ofTc nn es~ee. Knoxville. TN 37996. 416 Sml,hca.\Il'm Nt/tllmli," Vol.l , No. 4 tiS much a~ 85%. whi ch has been partially allributed to past logging praclices (I-I ouslon 1979). l-li slO ri call y. beech was nol con, idered a va lu­ able timber specie!i in northern hard woods 3nd was on en lef! behind in logged sland,. This has resulled in Ih e rise of beech as a major componenl in man y northern rOre~I.\. This overabu ndance or beech stems is thought to be a contributing fa clor in Ih e widespread dbpersal of beech bark di sease. Damage incurred by logging practices is thoughl to have pro­ duced a ni che ror C.f1l8isugo on otherwise hea lthy stems ( H o lJ ~ton 1982). Houslon ( 1983) reported Ihm allhough Il, ere are known predalors of Ihe beech scalc. th ei r effecti ve ness has been limited. Currentl y there is no kn own effecti ve tre<.ltmCIll for BBD. Potential for genetic resistance Re sistance to BBD in North America was tirsl studied by HOllston ( 1982). who inlroduced C. IagislI ga 0 111 0 apparently resiSla nl beech Irees in aftermath forests (0 test ~ u sce pti bili l y over a period of th ree years. On susceptible trees the im~ec t was able to complete it~ life cycle and produce massive amounts or eggs. Allcfllali vely. th e insect" failed to become establi shed on stems that Houston perceived to be resistant. Bused on th e~e triab. HouM on produced two hypotheses regarding the source of re~is­ tance in these trees: I) the in abilit y of overwintered in sec t ~ to complete th ei r Ii fe cycle on disease free trees may be a result or th e presence or some toxin or lack ofsolllc necessary chemical in the tree itself: 2) the complete lack of infestation on some trees ,Irld consiste nLl y low levels of infestation on others Illay be the result of ei ther a compl ete or partial analOmical barrier in lhese !HCms. In mOre recent wo rk. Houston and HOUSTO n ( 1994. _ Distribution or BBD Distribution of American . in U.s. Figure I. Di-: tribUlion of b~ech burk di se ase (BBD) in thc Unitcd Stales. The dblriblllion of Fag lls grondi/orin in the Unilcd SHIIC!'I is ind icated in lighl gmy. Counli es in wh il:h BBD has bee n documented arc in dark gray. The Greal Smoky Mountai n., r cp r e~elll lhe so ulhcrn - l1lo ~t occurrence of BBD. BOD dmu were providcd by Milflin Mac Kenzie. USFS . 2002 A.S, r>. lorri<.;, R.L Small. olld fl, U 3. CruJ:m ~17 2000) sill died a third hYPOIh esis: the inabili lY of Ih e scale in seC I to establ ish itscl f Oil some trees ma y be th e res lIlL of geneti c res istance. The pOlenlial for res istance hal> been reponed. all hough obse rved res istant trees are rarely record ed ( H o u ~lon 1983), Houston and H o u ~­ ton (199-1) observed re,is",ncc in les' Ihan 1% of all beech Irecs lhal they sampled. They also noted th at rcsistun t SIems ort en occurred in disc rete clulllps or groupb. suggesting th e poss ibi lity of resistant clonal gcnOlypes. At leas t for F. sy l1 'alh:(J L .. rcsi'\ tance in planted orchards has been associated with genotype (Wainhouse and Dceble 1980). M ore recen tl y. Krnbel and Petcrcord (2000) found a corrcl:.1Iion be twee n beech scale infestation Hncl the hos t tree genotype in F. s),/l'{l/iCli. For F. grcllldijolia. no known relationship between genOtype and res istan ce has yel becn found . Houston and Houston ( 1994.2000) used isozymes in an allcmpt (0 identify resistant gcnotype:-, Cl nd found lhat in some instances individual '\ lcms sharing the sa me genotype could be ei ther infec ted or nOL infected. However. th ey did repon finding higher levels of ob!'crvcd hete rozygosity in !:> lI sceptiblc stands, suggesting some leve l of geneti c differentiation between ~ Ll sf.;e ptib l e and resislanrc trees (Houston and Houston 2000). It is import an t to no te Ih ~lI allozymc!oo often do not display adequate levels of varia tion to resolve ge neti c idcnti lic!ot in clonal popUlations (Cru zan 1998. Escarav"ge ET AL. 1998. Waycn" 1998). Whereas all oLymc studies arc coml11 onl y limited to less th an 10 poly­ morphic loci. studi e:-. lIsing markers based on DNA variation ca n include Illany limes that number of loci for the resolution of indi vidual gC llO­ types. In this study. we lIsed inter-~ illlpi c sequence repeilts (ISS Rs) to inves ti ga te the potential of geneti c res istance to beech bark di sease in "-. gralldijo/i(J in Grea l Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). We sampled geneti c variati on wi thin and among threc ~ it cs to es timate th e relationship be tween leve l or ~ca l c infcMalion and genotype in GRSM . Our re s ll lt ~ provide no evidence for genetic re:-. istan cc. but do suggest a relationship between stem diameter <l!lel sc ale infes tation. METHOOS Study system BBD was first nOlcd in GRSM in 1993.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A New Pupillarial Scale Insect (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) from Angophora in Coastal New South Wales, Australia
    Zootaxa 4117 (1): 085–100 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2016 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4117.1.4 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5C240849-6842-44B0-AD9F-DFB25038B675 A new pupillarial scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) from Angophora in coastal New South Wales, Australia PENNY J. GULLAN1,3 & DOUGLAS J. WILLIAMS2 1Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia 2The Natural History Museum, Department of Life Sciences (Entomology), London SW7 5BD, UK 3Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract A new scale insect, Aolacoccus angophorae gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Eriococcidae), is described from the bark of Ango- phora (Myrtaceae) growing in the Sydney area of New South Wales, Australia. These insects do not produce honeydew, are not ant-tended and probably feed on cortical parenchyma. The adult female is pupillarial as it is retained within the cuticle of the penultimate (second) instar. The crawlers (mobile first-instar nymphs) emerge via a flap or operculum at the posterior end of the abdomen of the second-instar exuviae. The adult and second-instar females, second-instar male and first-instar nymph, as well as salient features of the apterous adult male, are described and illustrated. The adult female of this new taxon has some morphological similarities to females of the non-pupillarial palm scale Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell (Phoenicococcidae), the pupillarial palm scales (Halimococcidae) and some pupillarial genera of armoured scales (Diaspididae), but is related to other Australian Myrtaceae-feeding eriococcids.
    [Show full text]
  • Fungi and Their Potential As Biological Control Agents of Beech Bark Disease
    Fungi and their potential as biological control agents of Beech Bark Disease By Sarah Elizabeth Thomas A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Biological Sciences Royal Holloway, University of London 2014 1 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I, Sarah Elizabeth Thomas, hereby declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is entirely my own. Where I have consulted the work of others, this is always clearly stated. Signed: _____________ Date: 4th May 2014 2 ABSTRACT Beech bark disease (BBD) is an invasive insect and pathogen disease complex that is currently devastating American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in North America. The disease complex consists of the sap-sucking scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga and sequential attack by Neonectria fungi (principally Neonectria faginata). The scale insect is not native to North America and is thought to have been introduced there on seedlings of F. sylvatica from Europe. Conventional control strategies are of limited efficacy in forestry systems and removal of heavily infested trees is the only successful method to reduce the spread of the disease. However, an alternative strategy could be the use of biological control, using fungi. Fungal endophytes and/or entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) could have potential for both the insect and fungal components of this highly invasive disease. Over 600 endophytes were isolated from healthy stems of F. sylvatica and 13 EPF were isolated from C. fagisuga cadavers in its centre of origin. A selection of these isolates was screened in vitro for their suitability as biological control agents. Two Beauveria and two Lecanicillium isolates were assessed for their suitability as biological control agents for C.
    [Show full text]
  • Nutritional Effects on Causal Organisms of Beech Bark Disease in An
    NUTRITIONAL EFFECTS ON CAUSAL ORGANISMS OF BEECH BARK DISEASE IN AN AFTERMATH FOREST by Gretchen A. Dillon A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Degree State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, New York December 2019 Department Forest and Natural Resources Management Approved by: Ruth Yanai, Major Professor Jeffrey Garnas, Examining Committee Martin Dovciak, Examining Committee Chair Christopher Nowak, Department Chair Scott S. Shannon, Dean, the Graduate School © 2019 Copyright G.A. Dillon All rights reserved Acknowledgements I would especially like to thank the esteemed faculty at SUNY-ESF including Dr. Ruth Yanai, Dr. Mariann Johnston, and Dr. Thomas Horton for their patient assistance, and Dr. Greg McGee for securing microscopes and work space. Thank you to Christine Costello of the USFS; to my dedicated lab cohort, Yang Yang, Daniel Hong, Madison Morley, Alex Young, Alexandrea Rice, Jenna Zukswert, and Thomas Mann for countless Crayola crayon exercises and emotional support. Thank you to Mary Hagemann whose invaluable efforts help the B9 lab run more smoothly. This project could not have been completed without the help of the following summer, undergraduate, high school, and citizen scientist research technicians: Steve Abrams, Shaheemah Ashkar, Harshdeep Banga, Stephanie Chase, Kien Dao, Madeleine Desrochers, Imani Diggs, Bryn Giambona, Lia Ivanick, Abby Kambhampaty, Milda Kristupaitis, Vizma Leimanis, Grace Lockwood, Michael Mahoney, Charlie Mann, Allison Laplace McKenna, Julie Romano, Jason Stoodley, Emma Tucker, Trey Turnbalcer , and Sara Wasserman. Thank you to my family, biological and chosen, especially Lauren Martin, Sarah Dulany-Gring, my husband Michael, and Wilhelmina.
    [Show full text]
  • Beech Bark Disease Distribution and Resistance in Michigan and Fungal Endophyte Ecology of Resistant and Susceptible Beech (Fagus Grandifolia Ehrh.)
    Michigan Technological University Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open Reports 2013 Beech bark disease distribution and resistance in Michigan and fungal endophyte ecology of resistant and susceptible beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) Rachel E. Griesmer-Zakhar Michigan Technological University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etds Part of the Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons, and the Plant Pathology Commons Copyright 2013 Rachel E. Griesmer-Zakhar Recommended Citation Griesmer-Zakhar, Rachel E., "Beech bark disease distribution and resistance in Michigan and fungal endophyte ecology of resistant and susceptible beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.)", Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2013. https://doi.org/10.37099/mtu.dc.etds/455 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etds Part of the Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons, and the Plant Pathology Commons BEECH BARK DISEASE DISTRIBUTION AND RESISTANCE IN MICHIGAN AND FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE ECOLOGY OF RESISTANT AND SUSCEPTIBLE BEECH (FAGUS GRANDIFOLIA EHRH.). By Rachel E. Griesmer-Zakhar A THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In Forest Ecology and Management MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2013 © 2013 Rachel E. Griesmer-Zakhar This thesis has been approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Forest Ecology and Management. School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Thesis Advisor: Andrew J. Storer Committee Member: Dana L. Richter Committee Member: Thomas P. Snyder Committee Member: Gerard C. Adams School Dean: Terry L. Sharik Table of Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Beech Bark Disease (Neonectria Spp. and Cryptococcus Fagisuga) Forest Health and Monitoring Division
    Maine State Library Digital Maine Forest Service Documents Maine Forest Service 2-2018 Beech bark disease (Neonectria spp. and Cryptococcus fagisuga) Forest Health and Monitoring Division Maine Forest Service Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/for_docs Recommended Citation Forest Health and Monitoring Division; Maine Forest Service; and Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, "Beech bark disease (Neonectria spp. and Cryptococcus fagisuga)" (2018). Forest Service Documents. 97. http://digitalmaine.com/for_docs/97 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Maine Forest Service at Digital Maine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Forest Service Documents by an authorized administrator of Digital Maine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maine Forest Service Beech bark disease (Neonectria spp. and Cryptococcus fagisuga) Insect and Disease Laboratory 50 Hospital Street, Augusta, Maine 04330-6598 ● (207) 287-2791 ●www.maineforestservice.gov Hosts: Beech (Fagus grandifolia), European beech (Fagus sylvatica). General information: Beech bark disease (BBD) affects American beech trees throughout much of their natural range in North America. The disease is typically a result of the infestation and feeding by the beech bark scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga, predisposing beech trees to infection by two fungi: Neonectria coccinea var. faginta and sometimes N. galligena. Another scale, Xylococculus betulae, has been observed to be commonly associated with the disease in Maine, but its significance to the disease complex is unknown. The BBD complex arrived ca. 1920 on a shipment of infected European beech seedlings from Europe. Since its introduction, BBD has spread steadily and is now found as far west as Wisconsin.
    [Show full text]
  • Beech Bark Disease in Michigan: Distribution, Impacts, and Dynamics
    BEECH BARK DISEASE IN MICHIGAN: DISTRIBUTION, IMPACTS and DYNAMICS By James B. Wieferich A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Forestry - Master of Science 2013 ABSTRACT BEECH BARK DISEASE IN MICHIGAN: DISTRIBUTION, IMPACTS and DYNAMICS By James B. Wieferich Beech bark disease (BBD), a Neonectria fungal disease mediated by an invasive sap- feeding beech scale insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind.), continues to affect American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in North America. Beech scale was first identified in Upper and Lower Michigan in 2000. Annual monitoring indicates the rate of spread of the advancing front (beech scale infestation) from 2005 to 2012, varies among Lower Michigan populations, ranging from <1 km to 14.3 km per year. Spread rates are more consistent in Upper Michigan, ranging from 3 to 11 km per year. In 2002, 62 long term impact sites were established in areas with low, moderate or high beech basal area and beech scale infestations ranging from absent to heavy to collect baseline data on beech condition, overstory and understory species composition and coarse woody material (CWM). Twelve beech trees per site (744 total) were also tagged for future evaluation. In 2012, I re-visited the original 62 sites to assess impacts of BBD and determine if beech basal area, initial beech scale infestation (in 2002) or differences between Upper and Lower Michigan affected beech mortality, CWM or related variables. In Upper Michigan, up to 55.6% of beech stems and 92.4% of beech basal area have died. In Lower Michigan, however, the highest mortality recorded in a site was 38.9% and dead beech basal area did not exceed 25.6% in any site.
    [Show full text]
  • Beech Bark Disease (Cryptococcus Fagisuga and Neonectria Spp.)
    Maine Forest Service Beech bark disease (Cryptococcus fagisuga and Neonectria spp.) Insect and Disease Laboratory 50 Hospital Street , Augusta, Maine, 04330-6598 ● (207) 287-2791 ●www.maineforestservice.gov Hosts: Beech (Fagus grandifolia), European beech (Fagus sylvatica). General information: Beech bark disease (BBD) affects American beech trees throughout much of their natural range in North America. The disease is typically a result of the infestation and feeding by the beech bark scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga, predisposing beech trees to infection by two fungi: Neonectria coccinea var. faginta and sometimes N. galligena. Another scale, the Xylococculus betulae, has been observed to be commonly associated with the disease in Maine, but its significance to the disease complex is unknown. The BBD complex arrived ca. 1920 on a shipment of infected European beech seedlings from Europe. Since its introduction, BBD has spread steadily and is now found as far west as Wisconsin. The beech scale is sedentary for most of its life. Although, after adults lay eggs in mid- to late summer, beech scale crawlers (tiny mite-like life stage of the scale) move to new feeding sites and can be transported by wind, and even wildlife, to new beech trees. As the crawlers settle into a feeding site, preferably bark crevices, the scales form a waxy covering. Colonies of these scales look like white streaks or blotches on the bark (Fig. 1). After feeding for some time the scales reproduce asexually at a rate of one generation per year. Some inner-bark necrosis (death) is caused by the beech scales themselves, although most damage is due to infection by the fungal pathogen.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparative Densities of Beech Scale, Cryptococcus
    422 Florida Entomologist 95(2) June 2012 COMPARATIVE DENSITIES OF BEECH SCALE, CRYPTOCOCCUS FAGISUGA, (HEMIPTERA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) IN THE COUNTRY OF GEORGIA AND MASSACHUSETTS (USA), PARTS OF ITS NATIVE AND INVADED RANGES, ON TWO SPECIES OF BEECH R. G. VAN DRIESCHE1 AND G. JAPOSHVILI2 1PSIS/Division of Entomology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA 2Entomology and Biocontrol Research Centre, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, 0131, Georgia ABSTRACT The Caucasus Mountains in the country of Georgia are part of the native range of beech scale (Cryptococcus fagisuga) and Massachusetts (United States) is part of the invaded range of this species. As background to determine if the native range of this scale might be a source of natural enemies useful for correcting the ecological damage caused by beech scale in North America to America beech (Fagus grandifolia) comparative scale densities were measured in both locations in natural forest stands of F. grandifolia in Massachusetts and F. orientalis in Georgia. Average diameter at breast height (DBH) and health values were also compared. Scale densities were found to be 45.4-fold higher per unit area of bark in Massachusetts on F. grandifolia than in the country of Georgia on F. orientalis. Also, F. orientalis trees at sample sites in Georgia were 2.9-fold larger in DBH and much healthier that were F. grandifolia trees in Massachusetts. These data suggest that either F. orientalis is more resistant to beech bark disease than F. grandifolia or key natural enemies found in Georgia are miss- ing in Massachusetts, or both. Cage exclusion studies are underway, separate from results reported here, to separate the effects of tree resistance and natural enemies.
    [Show full text]
  • Insects: Beech Scale, a Potential Threat in the Landscape
    SP503-H Insects Beech Scale, A Potential Threat in the Landscape Frank Hale, Professor, Greg Wiggins, Research Associate, Paris Lambdin, Professor, and Jerome Grant, Professor Entomology and Plant Pathology The beech scale (Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger) was rst found in the U.S. in Massachusetts and Maine in the 1930s. This European insect feeds on American and European beech by inserting its long, needle-like, piercing-sucking mouthparts (or stylets) through the smooth bark, where the scale remains station- ary throughout its life. This persistent feeding can stress the tree, especially during drought conditions, and reduce the overall vigor and quality of beech. However, it is this insect’s association with two species of fungi, Nectria galligena (a native fungus) and Nectria coccinea var. faginata (an introduced European fungus), that can cause mortality of beech. As it feeds, the scale repeat- edly removes and reinserts its mouthparts, wounding the tree and providing entry sites for the introduction of these two fungal pathogens. Beech scale eggs and crawlers on bark of beech. The beech scale and the pathogens are the causal agents of beech bark disease, which has killed large numbers of trees throughout eastern North America. Beech scale and beech bark disease have gradually spread southward and both were reported old or historic homes and homesteads. While young beech trees in 1993 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where are not often killed by beech bark disease, they often succumb beech mortality has been documented. The current range of once they reach maturity. Because the disease is so widespread beech scale and beech bark disease in Tennessee is unclear, but it throughout the forests of the eastern U.S., beech bark disease is probably found throughout areas along the border of Tennes- threatens beech in the landscape as well.
    [Show full text]
  • Beech Bark Disease Complex
    Beech Bark Disease Complex Morgan Southgate February 1, 2017 Beech Bark Disease Trunk of beech exhibiting symptoms of disease complex I Characteristic smooth grey bark I Ovate, acuminate leaves, with distinct veins each ending in a single tooth. I Fruit is a bur which contains two nuts. Host American beech (Fagus grandifolia; Fagaceae): a common nut-producing hardwood tree distributed across North America. I Prominent member of northern hardwood forest in northeastern North America. Beech leaf I Ovate, acuminate leaves, with distinct veins each ending in a single tooth. I Fruit is a bur which contains two nuts. Host American beech (Fagus grandifolia; Fagaceae): a common nut-producing hardwood tree distributed across North America. I Prominent member of northern hardwood forest in northeastern North America. I Characteristic smooth grey bark Beech leaf I Fruit is a bur which contains two nuts. Host American beech (Fagus grandifolia; Fagaceae): a common nut-producing hardwood tree distributed across North America. I Prominent member of northern hardwood forest in northeastern North America. I Characteristic smooth grey bark I Ovate, acuminate leaves, with distinct veins each ending in a single tooth. Beech leaf Host American beech (Fagus grandifolia; Fagaceae): a common nut-producing hardwood tree distributed across North America. I Prominent member of northern hardwood forest in northeastern North America. I Characteristic smooth grey bark I Ovate, acuminate leaves, with distinct veins each ending in a single tooth. I Fruit is a bur which contains two nuts. Beech leaf I Neonectria ditissima I Neonectria faginata I Cryptococcus fagisuga: invasive to N. America I Xylococcus betulae: native to N.
    [Show full text]
  • NAME of SPECIES: Nectria Coccinea Var
    NAME OF SPECIES: Nectria coccinea var. fagisuga Lohman, Watson and Ayes and Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind. Synonyms: none Common Name: Beech bark disease A. CURRENT STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION I. In Wisconsin? 1. YES NO X 2. Abundance: 3. Geographic Range: 4. Habitat Invaded: 5. Historical Status and Rate of Spread in Wisconsin: 6. Proportion of potential range occupied: II. Invasive in Similar Climate YES X NO Zones United States: New England, New York (1960), Pennsylvania (1975), West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan (2000) Canada: Nova Scotia (1890), eastern Canada (1930’s), Quebec III. Invasive in Similar Habitat YES X NO Types IV. Habitat Affected 1. Host plants: Fagus grandifolia (American beech) 2. Conservation significance of threatened habitats: Beech is frequently the primary nut producer in northern hardwood stands, and this hard mast provides an important food source for many animals. V. Native Habitat 1. Countries: Europe 2. Hosts: Fagus sylvatica (European beech) VI. Legal Classification 1. Quarantined species? YES NO X 2. By what states, countries? B. ESTABLISHMENT POTENTIAL AND LIFE HISTORY TRAITS I. Life History 1. Type of pathogen: Ascomycotina: Hypocreales 2. Time to Maturity: There is at least a 1 year time delay between the appearance of its vector, Cryptococcus fagisuga, and appearance of the fungus. 3. Methods of Spread: Vectored by the exotic beech scale insect: C. fagisuga Lind. Birds probably transport crawlers short distances, and perhaps long distances during migratory flights. The fungal spores are disseminated by rain splash or by the wind and penetrate into the tree through wounds created by the scale insect.Humans move infested wood.
    [Show full text]
  • MANAGEMENT of BEECH STANDS INFECTED by CRYPTOCOCCUS FAGISUGA in WEST GERMANS Hermann ~Ogenschutz'
    I Rssearch on Beech Bark Disease: Fwest-Disease Relationships MANAGEMENT OF BEECH STANDS INFECTED BY CRYPTOCOCCUS FAGISUGA IN WEST GERMANS Hermann ~ogenschutz' Abstract.--Beech trees in an experimental plot in the Odenwald (southwest Germany), with different intensities of attack by Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind. since at least 1970, were observed from 1972 until 1982 in order to ascertain the role of scale insects in beech bark disease and to facilitate decisions for the management of infested stands. At the beginning of the research 13% of the dominant trees were infested by C. fagisw. Until 1979 the attack decreased continuously, only in the dry years 1975 and 1976 did the number of trees with moderate attack increase. Since 1980 new infestations on previously uninfested trees have been observed. Eighteen per cent of the trees, which had been moderately or heavily attacked in 1972, died during the following years. The recovered trees exhibited pathological bark induced by the sucking activity of the scale insects. According to these results, practising foresters are recommended not to do a sanitation felling, if locally not more than 6% of the beech trees reach the attack class moderate or heavy. INTRODUCTION a sample area within a stand heavily infested by the beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga Practising foresters in Germany are Lind. The trees selected and marked for advised by the forest protection authorities observation have been checked at annual to fell beech trees suffering heavily from intervals since 1972. The followinn results beech bark disease immediately in order to are a supplement to those obtained by Rhumbler avoid losses in timber value and to eliminate (1931) in north Germany in the first quarter of sources of infection.
    [Show full text]