EVALUATION OF SUGAR MAPLE DIEBACK IN THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION AND DEVELOPMENT OF A FOREST HEALTH YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM By Tara L. Bal A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In Forest Science MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2013 © 2013 Tara L. Bal This dissertation has been approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Forest Science. School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Andrew J. Storer Committee Member: Dr. Martin F. Jurgensen Committee Member: Dr. Dana L. Richter Committee Member: Dr. Bradley H. Baltensperger School Dean: Dr. Terry L. Sharik Table of Contents Preface............................................................................................................................ vi Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... vii Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... viii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. Introduction Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. History of sugar maple dieback in the Upper Peninsula, MI .............................. 2 1.2. Factors associated with sugar maple dieback in the eastern range ..................... 3 1.3. Implications of the research presented here ........................................................ 4 1.4. References ........................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2. Sugar Maple Dieback Trends in the Western Upper Great Lakes Region Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 9 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Study Region .................................................................................................. 12 2. Methods ................................................................................................................ 13 2.1. Plot Establishment and Base Measurements 2.2. Tree Cores 2.3. Climate Data 2.4. Statistical Procedures 3. Results .................................................................................................................. 16 3.1. Dieback Occurrence 3.2. Relationship between Dieback and Growth 3.3. Relationship between Climate, Location, and Growth 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 19 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 22 6. References ............................................................................................................ 23 Chapter 3. Importance of Forest Floor Perturbation resulting from Exotic Earthworm Activity for Sugar Maple Dieback in the Western Upper Great Lakes Region Abstract .................................................................................................................... 42 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 43 2. Methods ................................................................................................................ 44 2.1 Plot Establishment and Base Measurements 2.2 Tree Cores 2.3 Soil Sampling iii 2.4 Statistical Procedures 3. Results .................................................................................................................. 48 3.1. Plot Characteristics and Dieback 3.2. Plot Characteristics and Regeneration 3.3. Plot Characteristics and Growth 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 49 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 52 6. References ............................................................................................................ 53 Chapter 4. Sugar Maple Health and Relationships with Foliar and Soil Nutritional Status in the Western Upper Great Lakes Region Abstract .................................................................................................................... 68 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 69 2. Methods ................................................................................................................ 71 2.1 Plot Establishment 2.2 Foliage Sampling 2.3 Tree Core Sampling 2.4. Soil Sampling 2.5 Statistical Procedures 3. Results .................................................................................................................. 75 3.1. Foliar Characteristics, Nutrition, and Dieback 3.2. Foliar Nutrition and Growth 3.3. Foliar Retranslocation 3.4 Effects of Soil Characteristics 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 79 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 83 6. References ............................................................................................................ 84 Chapter 5. The Relationship of the Sapstreak Fungus, Ceratocystis virescens, with Sugar Maple Dieback and Decay in Northern Michigan Preface .................................................................................................................... 106 Abstract .................................................................................................................. 107 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 108 1.1. Sapstreak Characteristics and Biology 1.2. Sapstreak and Wood Decay 1.3. Objectives 2. Materials and Methods ........................................................................................ 110 2.1. Field Sampling for the Sapstreak Fungus 2.2. Soil Block Decay Test 3. Results ................................................................................................................. 113 3.1 Incidence of Sapstreak in Maple Stands 3.2 Incidence of Sapstreak in a recently logged stand 3.3 Soil Block Decay Test 4. Discussion ........................................................................................................... 115 iv 5. References ........................................................................................................... 117 Chapter 6. Forest Health Detectives: An easy tutorial to incorporate forest vigor into biology and ecology lessons Preface .................................................................................................................... 125 Abstract .................................................................................................................. 126 Background ............................................................................................................ 127 Data Collection ....................................................................................................... 129 Materials and Equipment Procedure Time Requirements Suggested Class Schedule Data Analysis ......................................................................................................... 130 Extensions .............................................................................................................. 131 Glossary for Forest Health Detectives References .............................................................................................................. 133 Chapter 7. Conclusion .............................................................................................. 141 References .............................................................................................................. 142 Appendix A Forest Detectives: Insects and Diseases of the Great Lakes Region Curriculum Developed for Grades 6-11 Summer Youth Programs at Michigan Tech ................................................................................... 143 Appendix B Letters of Permission from journal editors ................................................................. 174 v Preface This Dissertation is submitted for the Degree of Forest Science at Michigan Technological University. The research herein was conducted under the supervision of Drs. Andrew J. Storer, Dana L. Richter, and Martin F. Jurgensen from 2009-2013. This work is to the best of my knowledge original, except where references and acknowledgements are made to previous work. Part of this work contains previously published material and material submitted for journal review. Chapter 5 titled The Relationship of the Sapstreak Fungus, Ceratocystis virescens, with Sugar Maple Dieback and Decay in Northern Michigan was previously published by in the American Journal of Plant Sciences (T.L. Bal, D.L. Richter, A.J. Storer, and M.F. Jurgensen, 2012, 4(2A): 436-443). Data collection and analyses were completed by Tara L. Bal. Dana Richter provided the lab space and direction