Overstory spread and intensification of hemlock dwarf mistletoe

Abstract

Development of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobiumtsugense (Rosendahl) G.N. Jones) on 51 western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) trees planted in 1963 at varying distances from an infected residual tree is described. Distribution of infections in the planted trees related directly to seed-dispersal patterns, i.e., it was influenced mainly by distance and direction from the infected residual. Factors controlling the numbers of infections produced included the amount of throughfall and winter depredation of seed, germination, and infection success. From an initial dispersal of 100 seeds, an average of 37 attached firmly and were retained on the branches the next spring, 23 germinated, and 13 caused infection. The influence of early autumn frosts, death of established infections, and variation in resistance levels in the trees on the ultimate number of functioning infections is documented. It was concluded that with early removal of the overstory source, levels of infection sufficiently high to cause significant early damage on all intervening regeneration would result with about 86 evenly scattered, severely infected residuals per hectare.