The Effects of Fire on Ground Beetle Assemblages and Herbivory of Kalmia latifolia in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area Tracy Myhalyk Dr. Ray S. Williams Appalachian State University

Background

Study Area Linville Gorge Wilderness Area Linville Gorge Wilderness Area –Burke County, Pisgah National Forest –Wilderness Act of 1964 –Grand Canyon of NC –12,000 acres –Spared logging –Fire suppressed for 60+ years for 60+ years –November 2000 fire

Experimental Design 16 Plots 30-m x 30-m 16 Plots 30-m x 30-m –8 Burned and 8 Unburned –Similar vegetation, slope, and aspect slope, and aspect –0.8 km between burned and unburned sites and unburned sites Burned Unburned

0.8 km BURNED SITE UNBURNED SITE Pinchin Trail Kistler Memorial Highway

Methods

Focus of Research Ground-dwelling arthropod collections Ground-dwelling arthropod collections Herbivory of K. latifolia Herbivory of K. latifolia Percent nitrogen Percent nitrogen of K. latifolia of K. latifolia

Arthropod Collections Pitfall Traps - 4 per plot Pitfall Traps - 4 per plot –Jun 2003 (8), Aug 2003 (16), and Oct 2003 (16) Oct 2003 (16) –Traps opened for 5 nights All arthropods sorted All arthropods sorted and quantified and quantified

Herbivory of Kalmia latifolia leaves per plot leaves per plot Leaf collection dates (Total # plots) Leaf collection dates (Total # plots) –Oct 2002 (8) –Jun 2003 (16) –Oct 2003 (16) Percent leaf Percent leaf area missing area missing (Horsfall and Barratt 1945) (Horsfall and Barratt 1945) # Percent Herbivory 1 0 % % % % % %

Percent Nitrogen of Kalmia latifolia 3 of 6 trees/plot 3 of 6 trees/plot 2 leaves/age 2 leaves/age Total C:N Total C:N

Postfire Leaf Ages of Kalmia latifolia Herbivory Collections Herbivory Collections –Oct age 2 –Jun age 2 and age 3 –Oct age 3 Percent nitrogen Percent nitrogen Collections Collections –Oct age 1 –Jun age 2 –Oct age 3

Results

Sorted and quantified Sorted and quantified –Ants (Hymenoptera) –Crickets (Orthoptera) –Spiders (Araneae) –Beetles (Coleoptera) Beetles identified to family level Beetles identified to family level Beetle family level abundance Beetle family level abundance Arthropod Collections

Abundance of all arthropods Abundance of all arthropods Collections Collections – June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003 * = p<0.05

Abundance of ants, crickets, and spiders Abundance of ants, crickets, and spiders Collections Collections – June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003 * = p<0.05

Abundance of beetles Abundance of beetles Collections Collections – June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003 * = p<0.05

Herbivory of K. latifolia Herbivory of K. latifolia Collections Collections –October 2002 (Age 2) –June 2003 (Age 2 and 3) –October 2003 (Age 3) * = p<0.05

Percent nitrogen of K. latifolia Percent nitrogen of K. latifolia Collections Collections –October 2002 (Age 1) –June 2003 (Age 2) –October 2003 (Age 3) * = p<0.05

Conclusions

Leaf Nitrogen and Herbivory Higher nitrogen in K. latifolia leaves in burned plots Higher nitrogen in K. latifolia leaves in burned plots Higher herbivory of K. latifolia leaves in burned plots Higher herbivory of K. latifolia leaves in burned plots

Arthropod Abundance Higher total arthropod abundance in burned plots Higher total arthropod abundance in burned plots Higher ground beetle abundance in burned plots Higher ground beetle abundance in burned plots

Additional Research Beetle diversity, richness, and evenness Beetle diversity, richness, and evenness Phytochemistry of K. latifolia Phytochemistry of K. latifolia –Phenolics assay (% tannins) –Bradford assay (soluble proteins) C:N of leaf and humus layers C:N of leaf and humus layers Soil moisture Soil moisture Ground temperature Ground temperature –Temperature sensors placed in all 16 plots Fire intensity Fire intensity –2.5 cm soil core to measure humus depth

Acknowledgements Thesis committee Thesis committee –Dr. Ray S. Williams –Dr. Howard S. Neufeld –Dr. Michael Windelspecht Funding Funding –Graduate Student Association Senate Association Senate –Biology Graduate Student Association Field Research Team Field Research Team –Shay Dumas –Jim Sobieraj –Trevor Frick –Emily Parisher –Scott Taylor –Tonya Moore –Kevin Lyon –Courtney Campany –Courtney Olive