Skip to main content

FRAMES logo
Resource Catalog

Document

Type: Thesis
Author(s): Inga Marie McLaughlin
Publication Date: 2007

The objective of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study was to investigate the effects of four fuel reduction treatments (prescribed burning, mechanical fuel reduction, mechanical followed by prescribed burning, and a non-treated control) on a number of ecosystem variables (e.g., soils, vegetation, insects, wildlife, fuels, fire behavior, economics, and tree pathogens) in multiple forest ecosystems across the nation. As part of the national study, the effects of fuel reduction treatments on the incidence levels of two forest tree pathogens, species of Leptographium and Phytophthora, were investigated over a six-year period. In the Clemson Experimental Forest, near Clemson, South Carolina, the incidence of Leptographium spp. in roots of southern pine trees initially was lower after fuel reduction treatments were applied; however, over time (i.e., five years after the initial treatment application), incidence levels were similar to pre-treatment levels, which suggests that these treatments had no long-term effect. L. procerum and L. terebrantis were found most frequently in roots of southern pine trees, but several other species also were found throughout the study site. Therefore, species of Leptographium appear to be a normal component of southern pine forests. In the Green River Game Land Management Area in western North Carolina, fuel reduction treatments did not affect the incidence of Phytophthora spp. in soil over the six-year period of this study. Incidence levels of Phytophthora spp. in soil samples were similar before treatments were applied, immediately after treatment application, and then three years later. P. cinnamomi and P. heveae were the only two species recovered; P. cinnamomi was found in all treatment plots and P. heveae was found in only three of the twelve plots. This study established the widespread distribution of Phytophthora spp. in forest soil in the Green River Game Land Management Area. To more fully understand the direct effect of prescribed fire on species of Phytophthora in soil in forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains, the persistence of P. cinnamomi in soil after three low-intensity prescribed fires was investigated. Although persistence of P. cinnamomi was significantly reduced at 2 cm beneath the soil surface after one of the three fires, overall, soil temperatures were not elevated for long enough to significantly affect populations of this soil borne plant pathogen either at 2 or 10 cm beneath the soil surface-depths at which P. cinnamomi routinely has been detected. Therefore, prescribed fire as a management tool does not appear to be adequate to eliminate P. cinnamomi from forest soil.

Online Links
Link to this document (7 MB; full text; pdf)
Citation: McLaughlin, Inga M. 2007. Effects of fuel reduction treatments on species of Phytophthora and Leptographium in forest ecosystems. MS Thesis. Clemson, SC: Clemson University. 154 p.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Keywords:
  • Clemson Experimental Forest
  • Leptographium spp.
  • mechanical fuel reduction
  • North Carolina
  • pathogens
  • pathology
  • Phytophthora spp.
  • South Carolina
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 7137