The Investigation of the Mountain Pine Beetle By: Jessie Wormer Hannah Armstrong

1.Life Cycle of the Mountain Pine Beetle As larvae, pine beetles tunnel away from the egg gallery they came from under the bark of a tree. This produces a characteristic feeding pattern. As adults (pine beetles have a 1-year life cycle in Colorado) they leave the dead trees they developed in. Females generally seek out large diameter trees, however during epidemics (like the one in Colorado) they settle for smaller diameter. If a mated pair is successful, they will have formed a vertical tunnel under the bark and produce about 75 eggs.

Life Cycle of the Lodgepole Pine Tree A forest of lodgepole pines most commonly ends with a stand replacing fire every 200-350 years. After about 15 years serotinous cones open and produce seedlings. Young stands are 50-100 years old Middle age stands are 100-175 years Old age stands are up to 230 years.

2.Growth Phases of Mountain Pine Beetle Populations Epidemic: The outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development. Populations are usually large, economically significant outbreaks. Population growth rates are density dependent.

3. Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature (cannot survive in extreme cold) Altitude Sunlight (intensity, duration) pH of soil

4.Biotic Controls Woodpeckers Insects (clerid beetles)

5.The Niche of the Mountain Pine Beetle Native to North America Pacific Coast, Black Hills of South Dakota, British Columbia, Western Alberta, North western Mexico. They can range in altitudes from sea level to 11,000 feet. They mostly prey on the lodgepole, ponderosa, sugar, and western white pines. Pine forests are sometimes converted to grass and shrubs due to infestation This can change wildlife species composition by altering hiding and thermal cover.

6. The effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle During an epidemic beetles can kill two or more trees following their emerge from an infested tree. During an epidemic attacks involve most large trees, not just trees under stress from injury, poor site conditions, fire damage, over crowding, root disease or old age. This loss of trees can increase water yeild in certain areas over time. The obvious: The deaths of millions of trees.

7: Analyze the signs and symptoms of an infected/disease. -Fires fire intensity soil ruined, seed dies secondary succession -tree mortality -Pine beetles benefits from a warming climate -feeds on tree tissue -boring dust in bark crevices -foliage turning yellowish to reddish through tree crown -blue stained sapwood -presence of beetle eggs or larvae

8: Synthesize the climate of Colorado and identify how it has changed in the last 100 years. -changed wetter winters, warmer summers -spring and summer snow cover has decreased in western mountains by 15-30% since 1950 -Hotter temperatures -drier climate -snowmelt quicker -rivers lower -less snowfall

9:  Synthesize how Colorado forests have been managed in the last 100 years. To control Beetles: -peel bark away -chemical Forests in General: -Fire suppression -small scale  harvesting systems -forest agricultural tax plans -American tree far plans

Management Continued From beetles: Natural controls woodpeckers  insects that eat larvae under bark cold temperatures

-beetles cannot survive cold winters as larvae 10: Evaluate how climate and management practices might influence beetle populations. -beetles cannot survive cold winters as larvae -global warming warmer summers and drier winters causing better habitat for beetles -chemicals to kill beetles makes larvae population die off

11: Evaluate the importance of forests in Colorado and the impacts of the current Mountain Pine beetle eruption on the ecology and economy of Colorado. Forests: Everyday life products Biodiversity in specific habitats Prevent soil erosion Watershed Protection Climate moderation Carbon Storage

Mountain Pine Beetle Impacts on the Ecology and Environment Impacts on the Economy in Colorado Now a large carbon source Increased forest fires Release megatonnes of carbon dioxide Mortality of trees Reduces capability to use greenhouse gases Colorado's Department of Energy gave $30 million to the construction of the state's first cellulosic ethanol plant converts beetle kill into ethanol

References ECOREGION: Western Forests and Mountains - Rauscher, S.A, J.S. Pal, N.S. Diffenbaugh, and M.M. Benedetti. (2008) Future changes in snowmelt-driven runodd timing over the western US, Geophys Res. Trzcinski, M.K, and Reid, M.L. (2009) Intrinsic and extrinsic determanists of Mountain Pine Beetle Population growth agricultural and forest Entomology. Lodgepole Ecology - Wild Rocky Mountain Research Station Barkbeetles.org/mountain/fid12.htm Mountain Pine Beetle - Leatherman, D.A, Aguayo, I, and Mehall T.M.

References Continued http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.html http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/west/west.pdf http://home.comcast.net/~coloradoforestmanagement/index_files/Page470.htm http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/importance/