Biology and Ecology of Leptographium Species and Their Vectos As Components of Loblolly Pine Decline Lori G
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2003 Biology and ecology of Leptographium species and their vectos as components of loblolly pine decline Lori G. Eckhardt Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Plant Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Eckhardt, Lori G., "Biology and ecology of Leptographium species and their vectos as components of loblolly pine decline" (2003). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 2133. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/2133 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF LEPTOGRAPHIUM SPECIES AND THEIR VECTORS AS COMPONENTS OF LOBLOLLY PINE DECLINE A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology by Lori G. Eckhardt B.S., University of Maryland, 1997 August 2003 © Copyright 2003 Lori G. Eckhardt All rights reserved ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I gratefully acknowledge the invaluable input provided by my dissertation advisor, Dr. John P. Jones. Among many other things, he has demonstrated his patients, enthusiasm and understanding as I struggled to pursue my graduate studies. I am indebted to Dr. Marc A. Cohn, for his guidance, encouragement, support and most of all, his friendship. His inspiring philosophical perspectives and scientific knowledge have greatly enriched my learning experience. I would like to thank the members of my advisory committee, Drs. Richard A. Goyer, Kier D. Klepzig, Rodrigo A. Valverde and Marc A. Cohn for their valuable advice in my research and writing this dissertation. I would like to thank other faculty members in the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology as well as the Department of Entomology who helped me in many aspects during my graduate program. A special thanks to Mrs. Pat for all the extra work she did to make all this come together. Thank you to my lab mates, Ann Weber, Sara Sadat, Dee Glass for your discussion and assistance and to my fellow graduate students and friends, especially Tessa Bauman, Erica Gray, Jennifer Moore and Lauren Caldwell for your help. iii I would also like to thank all the people at the US Forest Service in Pineville, LA who made this project possible. Nolan Hess, Dave Drummond and Dr. Forrest Oliveria for ensuring the financial support for the project. Dr. Forrest Oliveria, Dale Starkey, Nolan Hess and Roger Menard for all the invaluable training they provided. And a special thanks to all the technicians, Roger Menard, Ron Kertz, Billy Bruce, Tim Haley, and Chris Stiener, who had to spend many a hot day in the forests of Alabama helping collect samples. I couldn’t have managed without your enthusiastic and back-breaking help. I would like to thank the Talladega National Forest, Oakmulgee Ranger District, Shoal Creek Ranger District and the Talladega Ranger District, as well as, Gulf State Paper Company for their cooperation in allowing this research to be carried out on lands in their custody. I would also like to thank Dr. James Culver, my first mentor at the University of Maryland, who gave me the opportunity to work in his lab and find out how much I really loved research. Not only did I learn many things under his tutelage, but I would not be here today without his guidance, encouragement, and support. Finally, my sincerest thanks go to my husband, Joe, for his love, unconditional support, and inspiration. I also want to thank my daughter, Chauntey, for sharing her artistic talents and for the endless joy she brings to our family. Without them this dissertation could not have been completed. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments..........................................................................................................................iii List of Tables.................................................................................................................................vii List of Figures.................................................................................................................................ix Abstract.........................................................................................................................................xiii Chapter I Introduction and Literature Review.........................................................................1 1.1 Forest Decline..........................................................................................................1 1.2 Phytophthora cinnamomi and Littleleaf Disease of Shortleaf Pine.........................2 1.3 Leptographium Species and Loblolly Pine Decline.................................................5 1.4 Insect Associations...................................................................................................7 1.5 Leptographium Species..........................................................................................10 1.6 Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.)...............................................................................11 Chapter II General Methods....................................................................................................14 2.1 Plot Descriptions....................................................................................................14 2.2 Root Sampling.......................................................................................................14 2.3 Soil Sampling.........................................................................................................19 2.4 Insect Activity........................................................................................................20 2.5 Leptographium Identification................................................................................22 2.6 Plot Characterization.............................................................................................22 Chapter III Association of an Insect-Fungal Complex with Loblolly Pine Decline in Central Alabama....................................................................................................24 3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................24 3.2 Material and Methods............................................................................................27 3.3 Results....................................................................................................................31 3.4 Discussion..............................................................................................................44 Chapter IV Pathogenicity of Four Leptographium Species Associated with Loblolly Pine Decline in Central Alabama..................................................................................52 4.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................52 4.2 Materials and Methods..........................................................................................53 4.3 Results...................................................................................................................57 4.4 Discussion..............................................................................................................61 v Chapter V Hylastes salebrosus and Hylastes tenuis (Coleoptera:Scolytidae): Vectors of Pathogenic Fungi (Ophiostomatales) Associated with Loblolly Pine Decline......63 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................63 5.2 Materials and Methods...........................................................................................65 5.3 Results....................................................................................................................66 5.4 Discussion..............................................................................................................67 Chapter VI The Relationship of Arthropod Occurrence to Relative Levels of Root Feeding Bark Beetles and Weevils......................................................................................75 6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................75 6.2 Materials and Methods...........................................................................................76 6.3 Results....................................................................................................................77 6.4 Discussion..............................................................................................................84 Chapter VII The Relationship Between Topographic Features and Loblolly Pine Decline in Central Alabama....................................................................................................86 7.1 Introduction............................................................................................................86 7.2 Materials and Methods...........................................................................................87