Abstract
The invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is established in east-central North America. A replicated case study testing the effectiveness of silvicultural treatments for reducing the number of S. noctilio attacked trees in a stand was conducted in New York, USA. Silvicultural treatments reduced S. noctilio attacked trees by approximately 75% over the course of the study. There was no tree growth response to silvicultural treatments in the four years after thinning, but targeted removal of weakened trees removed potential S. noctilio habitat from treated stands. Two spectral vegetation indices were used to determine tree health in each treatment and potentially provide guidance for detection efforts. Silvicultural treatment significantly influenced the Red Edge Inflection Point, a strong indicator of chlorophyll content, and the Moisture Stress Index, a reflectance measurement sensitive to changes in foliar leaf water content, with the greatest differences occurring between control and treated blocks. Vegetation indices showed promise as a tool for aiding in stand prioritization for S. noctilio surveys or management activities.
Highlights
In the decade since its discovery, Sirex noctilio has been detected over a large area of east-centralNorth America including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Vermont, Connecticut, and NewJersey in the United States of America, and Canadian provinces including Ontario and Quebec [1].Primarily Eurasian in origin, S. noctilio has been accidentally introduced into seven southern hemisphere countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and Uruguay [2,3]
S. noctilio has been found in Pinus resinosa Ait., Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus strobus L., and P. banksiana where it has established in North America [1,5]
In P. resinosa and P. sylvestris stands in New York, both stand thinning treatments reduced the number of S. noctilio attacked trees, suggesting that silviculture could be used to reduce tree attacks in high risk, high hazard pine stands in the northeastern United States
Summary
Eurasian in origin, S. noctilio has been accidentally introduced into seven southern hemisphere countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and Uruguay [2,3]. These countries have large areas of commercial plantations of North American pine species, often growing under stressed conditions in unthinned stands. Large areas of North America contain commercially planted and natural pine species that are known to support S. noctilio development in other countries where they are grown. Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon), and Midwestern (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) species [2] that have been planted commercially throughout the Southern Hemisphere. North American regions where these and other pines grow, especially where they are intensively planted and managed, are at risk for S. noctilio damage
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