1999 road-plot survey of dwarf mistletoe and comandra blister rust diseases of lodgepole pine on the Bighorn National Forest

28 Pages·2003·2.8 MB·English

by  Harris, Jeri Lyn, author

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

a$#763._A17B56
1999 Road-Plot Survey of Dwarf Mistletoe and Comandra Blister Rust
Diseases of Lodgepole Pine on the Bighorn National Forest
Biological Evaluation R2-03-07
By: Isl Wert Lyn Farris
Jeri Lyn Harris
Forest Health Monitoring Coordinator, Forest Health Management
Approved: Is/ Prauk Y. (r008
Frank J. Cross
Group Leader, Forest Health Management
USDA Forest Service
Renewable Resources
Rocky Mountain Region
740 Simms Street
Golden, CO 80401

Abstract:
In 1999, a road-plot survey of dwarf mistletoe and comandra blister rust diseases
was conducted in lodgepole pine stands on the Bighorn National Forest. An
increase in dwarf mistletoe disease incidence and a reduction of comandra
blister rust disease incidence were found during this study. Reports from
previous road-plot surveys reported dwarf mistletoe incidence in this area as
31% (Hawksworth 1958) and 36% (Johnson et al. 1979). Survey data from this
1999 study indicated a conservative estimate of 44% of lodgepole pines near the
roads was infected with dwarf mistletoe. Variable-radius plots were installed at
three-mile intervals along the roads to evaluate the lodgepole pine for dwarf
mistletoe and comandra blister rust diseases. Dwarf mistletoe and/or comandra
blister rust infect over 86% of the lodgepole pines along the roads of the Bighorn
National Forest. Greater emphasis on suppression work for these two diseases
on the Bighorn National Forest would reduce these disease incidences and
promote improved forest health.
Introduction
Past road-plot surveys conducted on the Bighorn National Forest (Hawksworth
1958, Johnson et al. 1979) indicated an increasing incidence of dwarf mistletoe
(Arceuthobium americanum) in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Hawksworth
reported in 1958 that 31% of 146 miles through lodgepole pine stands of the
Bighorn National Forest were infected with dwarf mistletoe. Twenty years later,
Johnson et al. (1979) duplicated the methodology used in the road plot studies
and evaluated the same roads used in the Hawksworth survey, including newer
roads built through lodgepole pine stands. Johnson et al. (1979) found 36.3% of
174 miles through lodgepole pine forest types near roads were infected with
dwarf mistletoe. They assessed growth loss and mortality caused by dwarf
mistletoe on the Bighorn National Forest; subsequently, their findings were often
used to promote dwarf mistletoe suppression work on the forest. Some dwarf
mistletoe suppression work has occurred on the Bighorn National Forest in the
last 30 years (Drummond and Johnson 1986, Johnson 1987) but the disease
appears to have increased in incidence and severity since the Johnson survey in
1978.
The incidence of Comandra blister rust disease, caused by the fungus,
Cronartium comandrae, was also evaluated during the Johnson et al. (1979)
survey. They found that almost 72% of the lodgepole pine stands along the
Bighorn National Forest roads contained comandra blister rust infected trees,
however, the severities of those infections were not evaluated in the 1979 study.
In the 1958 survey, Hawksworth did not record any comandra blister rust disease
incidence perhaps due to minimal, visible damage by this fungus during the
1950's.
$¢ 4 ad a
yh :
7 ’ ‘ A ea ’
$ EF 7
a 4
’ » 5.
* 7 ’
26xS6aib ten vetelld stbuaniotsi e soley rl wer
S107 isnoitSlt serigit art no briana bohved i ey“ ye y
BNE NOS to AoteYhel £ rie eget Wewk pis 26 0m .
not 2hoqerl youeelef pritub bina stow alnerroe saheait) mill
= Bah aint! 1 sonebiod eghaiiain Mah hshoqsreven:i e YokPiei Fite ssi
sictt p¢ e MSD vavnle (CVG) Made nook) ae ia (eae! noweswekt oe fe,
ach san 2aniq slogagbat to thet oa ns) igs Switevrs6nB get e,i ba tes et
in Dattani ew stolq suitenaligin’ aptolitin hawt dliw fet sitksiwa
new toi ong ecqaybeberr sreuleve ui; anaot ert Gris ale Sec l geeis h
> OnE 90 1O\DNE aui-stielen hoe ésesoein jac senile monary =é
ae
mort enh to eooo1 att onote saqiq-eloneghal cit *D iOS teve ! ;
| fei Pt | 3
ecu s2ib ows NEAT iO) OM MOIAEatte tro ake Grin Tene menos Ce "7
ie ésongbion aenuaib eéert sorbet ldew jee lsnotev ibeiglsl oily
steer Joel bevolger aes7
notte virk
ritcimiwnh) 1c! tarigitsl phere! art ac HehOulno Byewale WAY DsoT Ms
ectatienn hab §o aonabion Ghigsévent me.baisxibny (CTO! ee naenriolF
‘ihow@hves (ACINO® UNA) Srie gloaiipmel mm: doug hore
8 to atie'2 eniq siogepsol.dguewtt asin Gbr to oe re tert BOGE fab:
NOhst Mas yowwT .oofatianwn Mawh Miw beagle crew tenoF larvuiteld
asihuls dol omg) scp! Gaey ypotobortiem ent beiscilan Wilh) lets
Fewer Povine yowie GowaweH anitrn hee abso omar att Doteulave tit
hp PEE Gru! 1@T: ) 19 noeartol bfheiniys sltogespbo ! figuywit hud €
chiw banein ciaw sbeoy een eagy! tesa! orig sloyapbot dost esltyn
Haw yd hoouse ywisnow be agol thvmp besseres yorlT shpat ne
Teo qiaw agelbait vet .vineupesdue tee IgnoileV Monwid ort vo ¢ Nie
hawb sma Jesnot ent 1d sow aolezenqque solelieln Tawb some ob 3a a
or 1 les07 snes moripid efi fioD eiu900 234 Sidi nolezeunue ool
sangzih ert tud (W8eT noseriol, nigpvol rs nom!) ey OB a
MN Yewie tosniGh ortf some yineves | Paani pe
ret %
Bion o4 set $3 | rue ! | ;
cRofoEl!br) o norlea esebn aaats a; seml to qgenrt oe f o b_sa Hnae fsser e g a7 sa e8dn fs nFpiaaonr da e ueup e d
adbOTuE rls atet'al betqulaye ph roe et
ane: Lb aut php sper d| ont ne
‘aan 5 oo ih a aalt :
ee Fs
Rocky Mountain Region - Forest Health Management (FHM) crews conducted a
similar road-plot survey in 1999. Crews from the Rapid City Service Center, a
FHM unit, traveled many of the same roads (Figure 1) used in the Hawksworth
1958 and Johnson et a/. 1979 surveys. We evaluated the current incidence and
severity of dwarf mistletoe and comandra blister rust diseases on the Bighorn
National Forest. The incidences and severities found by FHM in 1999 were
compared to previous estimates of Hawksworth (1958) and Johnson et al.
(1979).
Methods
In 1999, field crews traveled the same roads and used the same survey methods
as described in the Hawksworth 1958 and Johnson et a/.1979 studies. Some of
the roads surveyed by Johnson et a/. 1979 were under construction, closed, or
obliterated in 1999. Plots were evaluated at three-mile intervals throughout the
road-plot survey. Incidences and infection severities of dwarf mistletoe and
comandra blister rust diseases were recorded during the road-plot survey.
Road Survey Methods
Forest roads through stands with lodgepole pine were traversed by FHM driving
at 10 — 15 miles per hour. This slow speed allowed surveyors to observe and
record general stand conditions and dwarf mistletoe infection of lodgepole pine
along the right side of the road about 1 chain (66 feet) deep into the stand. At
every tenth of a mile, field crews evaluated the amount of infected lodgepole
pines observed in that road segment. An intensity rating was given to each road
segment as follows:
0 = no dwarf mistletoe observed,
1 = dwarf mistletoe observed on 1/3 or less of the lodgepole pines,
2 = dwarf mistletoe observed on 2/3 or less of the lodgepole pines, and
3 = dwarf mistletoe observed on more than 2/3 of the lodgepole pines.
Other data recorded for each 0.1-mile segment were comandra blister rust
incidence, non-disease disturbances, forest vegetation types, and major tree
size. For each road segment, occurrences of topkilled lodgepole pines with
distinct, yellowing cankers caused by comandra blister rust infection were noted.
Easily observed disturbances such as cutting (thinning or harvesting) and fire
(prescribed or wildfire) were recorded. Areas with no disturbances were also
recorded. Forest vegetation types were categorized as pure lodgepole pine,
mixed conifer, or aspen/lodgepole pine mix. Tree size for the majority of the
trees in the road segment was determined as mature (dbh>9”), pole (4”’<dbh<9”),
or sapling (dbh <4’).
6 bedoubioo ewer (MHA) ineamegen daieden. ~ feners io nihadl cl
> Tein.) eolvies WiC bigah arf ow award G0) ePsareedeyte .
cthowerwerbt ert ml Dee au {7 engi) Zhe aries arth io yaar belavett., AH}
brie eunebondi rnd art batsvievas\W ayeviue €60r jn to noshitol brit
nodgi8 807 oo 4ecsenb lent tetetd srongmoetrs ectaheer tobe Sonal
97aw FST | nee i Onol esithbae v2eegnsab.io n ari} e010} lancit
se noencio’ bic (Sa0T) ihoweéwer to sefamilag gucivaig of bsiEe nes
2 =
shaNelA
%. oe!
ebomiam yovws Sines ert beew Dns eben amee er? Dolavirt ewois diet BeOl A
lo ernae .eoituie OVOT ile neenmol tine BACT dhe cdweH ert mi bedhozeh:
"O Peano (hou arco 16bhu alow BTS Ap | inieshid i. vd Geyaviva peeiee a
lieorigQuowll chevrarni slin-pevl* j6 betsulavs evew sold .eeet ni botnet
Ons Gules hmwh te celtijoyse ofloalni a: Oiehionl .vevive tola-b
YOVive JORP DSO! I wh OEROIe! Brew eeeneelh Mun eleild sib
a oo: . 2) rit ivi ye We 2Sa t"
4 By
7
privol MAA yd bearevenl etaw anic dabei citiw ebrinta figaovrts ebaon talent
OMS SWiORIO OF CTyiNUe Dewols.basce wole ala? wor jeq aph l bch ts
amp slous@bol fo NOI eofetaiT héawD ors arcihnoos brats isyeneg b
iA. ,onsic an am qeeb (foe! OM) nieria t JuadBs bao ortot ab i2 irinn aettp e
sloget ao Det etal te Inworms att bateulsve awano bici? .slitn 6 lo Minaty rr
DSO (One Of NaMp Baw Ofils yileoaini 14 JInempges bao tori! ri boyweedo2
ewoilote s Inemige 7
bangecio golstizin: hswb on = oO.=
aig HOQSpbol ont to e2a)10 E\i, na bewrsado eolsttaim hawb « 7 a
Mis zor sloqeobo! ari! jo 226! 16 E\S no bevisedo ectailein hswo=S
260g slogeacho ert to E\S nerit SION NO bavieado seamen hewb =€. be
" Gs
tani valaiid sibnainoe exawJ nomgen ei:p ete 00P8i1e Baab) :
O57? 1OkaM bis home see ¢ thats Dor Bort aa
(tiv! B8nig sicgegbol Lalliigat te zadgnanui29 ztngonr ose 103 #
-, n
DASOR Sey (OMDOTIW Teun: = hnsn 4 onDiv as R9s . enSlneo priwollay 40
ent bap (pn .r ite i J9 2e0nadhuielh bevieedcy !
4
Oalh c1ew 2eonacuielly or (liv eset. .bebosep crew fetiibliwo bedisse
| rata € ss a ee oe a
~ paths» ‘lie nie ata: dah
i 24
pups hwiets Pigs.
j ‘ ‘
Hwy 14 To Sheridan
To Lovell
Greybull
Hwy 16 To Worland
All lines Are Approsctmate
Figure 1. High-lighted roads of the Bighorn National Forest traveled through
lodgepole pine stands during a road-plot, disease survey. Forty-four plots were
installed at 3-mile intervals along the 146.5 miles surveyed for dwarf mistletoe and
comandra blister rust diseases. Many of these same roads were used in similar
road-plot surveys of 1958 and 1979.