Assessing an integrated biological and chemical control strategy for managing hemlock woolly adelgid in southern Appalachian forests

Sumpter, Kenton Lucas; McAvoy, Tom; Brewster, Carlyle C.; Mayfield, Albert E.; Salom, Scott M.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2018.01.018

Cited by 20 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Tree health data were collected in 2015 and 2016 from release trees at all sites in VA and WV. The percentages of live crown ratio, live branches, tips alive, new foliage, and crown density were recorded, and the average of these five measures was calculated to provide an overall tree health index (THI) from 0-100%, with 100 representing a completely healthy tree [18]. Hemlock woolly adelgid density was recorded from all 10 sites on each tree sampled for L. osakensis.…”

Section: Evaluating Tree Health and Hwa Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

First Report on Establishment of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Biological Control Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), in the Eastern U.S.

Toland

Brewster

Mooneyham³

et al. 2018

Forests

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The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an invasive insect species native to Japan causing significant hemlock mortality in the eastern United States. Laricobius spp. have been targeted as biological control agents because they are adelgid specialists. Laricobius osakensis Montgomery and Shiyake is native to the same region of Japan from which the strain of HWA found in the eastern United States originated. Studies in Japan found that it is phenologically synchronous with HWA. Following approval to release L. osakensis from quarantine in 2010, approximately 32,000 were released at a total of 61 sites starting in 2012. In winter of 2014 and 2015, periods of extreme cold temperatures throughout the eastern USA, as well as the polar vortex, resulted in extensive mortality to HWA, which likely delayed the establishment of L. osakensis. The ability of the beetle to survive and establish in the eastern United States is reported here. In the first year of this study (2015–2016), limited numbers of L. osakensis were recovered, as HWA populations were still rebounding. In the second year (2016–2017), 147 L. osakensis were collected at 5 of 9 sites sampled, coinciding with rebounding HWA populations. Larval recovery was much greater than adult recovery throughout the study. HWA density was directly correlated with warmer plant hardiness zones and recovery of Laricobius beetles was significantly correlated with HWA density. Our results suggest that L. osakensis is successfully establishing at several of the sampled release sites and that the best predictor of its presence at a site is the HWA density.

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Section: Evaluating Tree Health and Hwa Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

First Report on Establishment of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Biological Control Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), in the Eastern U.S.

Toland

Brewster

Mooneyham³

et al. 2018

Forests

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“…Control is achieved when pest numbers are reduced below the threshold where they damage their host. The only study of biocontrol efficacy in the introduced range demonstrated the health of trees treated with biological control was no better than that of untreated trees; HWA numbers differed at only one of three sites, where they were greater in trees treated with biological control (Sumpter et al, 2018). Although evidence indicating HWA population-level control by L. nigrinus is apparently forthcoming (Jubb et al, 2018), decisions associated with estimates of risk and success must be based on currently available data.…”

Section: Environmental Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…owing to desiccation and predation. The only study of biocontrol efficacy in the introduced range demonstrated the health of trees treated with biological control was no better than that of untreated trees; HWA numbers differed at only one of three sites, where they were greater in trees treated with biological control (Sumpter et al, 2018). Biocontrol efforts now focus on predators, but citations associated with assertions that biocontrol agents successfully control HWA in its native range (e.g., McClure, 1995aMcClure, ,b, 1996McClure, , 1997Cheah & McClure, 1996, 1998Sasaji & McClure, 1997;McClure et al, 2000;Kohler et al, 2008aKohler et al, ,b, 2016 refer to correlative studies that include few or no data about population-level effects in the field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circumventing regulatory safeguards:Laricobiusspp. and biocontrol of the hemlock woolly adelgid

Leppanen

Frank

Simberloff

2018

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Biological control entails introducing non‐native natural enemies to control weeds and pests. Instances of poorly regulated biocontrol have had harmful consequences leading to significant efforts to improve risk assessment of agents before release. Laricobius naganoensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) was inadvertently imported to eastern North America with Laricobius osakensis, introduced from Japan to control the hemlock woolly adelgid Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). The United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) subsequently permitted introduction of L. naganoensis as a biocontrol agent and contaminant, requiring no study or monitoring owing to difficulty of the effort required to distinguish it from L. osakensis. The Plant Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. § § 7701–7786) assigns U.S.D.A. responsibility for vetting and reducing risk from biocontrol agents while ensuring the process is transparent, accessible, and based on scientific evidence. Typically, release of a new agent involves a 30‐day period when the public may review and comment on an assessment of risk associated with the introduction, an Environmental Assessment (EA). No public review and comment period was allowed before L. naganoensis’ introduction, and the EA was not made public. Biocontrol practitioners and stakeholders agree that critical scientific evaluation of multiple lines of evidence is necessary to evaluate risk associated with new introductions. The importance of accurate agent identification and avoidance of contamination has long been recognised, and procedures to minimise risk are well known. While such processes might be difficult to implement, those challenges should not justify a release that circumvents regulatory safeguards.

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“…Biological control measures for the adelgid are being investigated but have not yet proven effective in controlling it at landscape scales (USDA Forest Service, 2017; Sumpter et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ecologists study how the adelgid, climate change, and patterns of land use affect hemlock decline rates and the different trees and forests that may replace it (Ellison 2014;Foster, 2014). Entomologists are developing methods to control the adelgid (Sumpter et al, 2018). Foresters suggest "preemptively" salvaging hemlock trees so landowners can realize economic value from them (Foster and Orwig, 2006;Figure 4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hemlock Hospice: landscape ecology, art, and design as science communication

ellison¹,

Borden²

2018

Preprint

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Interdisciplinary science-communication projects at the intersection of landscape ecology, art, and design are effectively realized through a democratic process involving co-equal collaborators. We illustrate this collaborative process through a case study of Hemlock Hospice, a 3000-meter-long art-based, site-specific interpretive trail at Harvard University's Harvard Forest. At one level, Hemlock Hospice describes the ongoing demise of the eastern hemlock tree caused by a tiny aphid-like insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid. More broadly, Hemlock Hospice addresses issues of climate change, human impact, and the future of the world's forests. This case study highlights gains realized from embedding artists and designers in an active scientific research site while specifically including scientists as full partners in designing and producing mission-driven educational artwork. It also illuminates challenges of democratizing art/science collaborations, including different modes of communication among participants; appropriate levels of financial support; different measures of scientific and artistic success; and creating opportunities for direct action.

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Assessing an integrated biological and chemical control strategy for managing hemlock woolly adelgid in southern Appalachian forests

Cited by 20 publications

References 53 publications

First Report on Establishment of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Biological Control Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), in the Eastern U.S.

First Report on Establishment of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Biological Control Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), in the Eastern U.S.

Circumventing regulatory safeguards:Laricobiusspp. and biocontrol of the hemlock woolly adelgid

Hemlock Hospice: landscape ecology, art, and design as science communication

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