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Suppression of natural fire and reduction of anthropogenic fire over the past century have increased fuels throughout many forest ecosystems. These fuel increases have led to an unusually high degree of catastrophic wildfires. Thinning and prescribed burning are two silvicultural treatments that forest managers can utilize to reduce these fuel loads. This thesis is the Southeastern Piedmont entomological component of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study (FFS), a nationwide study whose main objective is to assess how forest ecosystem components and processes are affected by both fire and treatments which may act as surrogates for fire. Prescribed fire and thinning can be used to reduce losses from the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman) by increasing host tree vigor and widening spaces between host trees. However, it is hypothesized that these treatments will cause a short-term increase in bark beetle activity by inducing tree shock. Variables measured across treatment units included bark beetle numbers, infestation sizes, host radial growth, host resin flow, hazard-rating, and risk-rating data. Results indicate that bark beetle activity was not affected by either of treatments. Thinning improved the recent year radial growth, but had no effect on resin flow. There was a strong inverse correlation between beetle activity and total resin flow a cross a treatment unit. It is yet to be determined what long-term effects fire and thinning have on southern pine beetle spot occurrence and spot growth in the Piedmont. However, reduction in stand density along with increases in tree vigor should result in lower long-term susceptibility to an attack.
Cataloging Information
- bark beetle
- Dendroctonus frontalis
- entomology
- FFS - Fire and Fire Surrogate Study
- Piedmont
- southern pine beetle
- thinning