Small Pine Research Articles

Epigaeic spiders (Araneae) from three habitats at Stryn, Nordfjord, Western Norway

One year of pitfall sampling in (A) a narrow strip of vegetation (junipers, Rosa sp., small pines) close to a river bank, (B) a cultivated medium humid meadow and (C) a humid deciduous forest (Alnus) with some grass on the ground collected a total of 25, 48 and 32 species, respectively (in total 67 species). Shannon indices of general diversity (ln e) were 1.8, 2.1 and 3.1, respectively. The three sites shared only 9 species, 57% of all species were found in only one locality. Similarity indices were low, especially between loc. A and C. Linyphiidae and Lycosidae were dominant. The latter were scarce in loc. B and C but common at loc. A (Pardosa palustris and P. amentata together comprising 43.5% of total) and net building species more scarce. The local distribution, co-existence, ecological and habitat preferences, seasonal activity and body size of some common species are briefly discussed. For some species, aspects of geographical distribution are discussed.

Enlarging interface reverses the dominance of fungi over bacteria in litter decomposition

Soil microorganisms are primary decomposers driving carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. One prevailing view is that fungi, rather than bacteria, play a predominant role in litter decomposition. However, the roles of bacteria and factors that restrict their activity during decomposition remain unclear. We hypothesized that the limiting activity of bacterial decomposers is associated with litter size beyond chemical quality. To address this gap, we conducted a 180-d decomposition microcosm experiment to investigate the effect of fragment size (large, 1–2 mm; middle, 0.18–0.28 mm; small, <0.07 mm) of oak and pine litters on bacterial or fungal decomposition. Bacterial and fungal decomposition were accelerated with fragment size decrease, suggesting that an interface effect existed between microbial decomposers and litter. Generally, the decomposition ability of bacteria was more sensitive to changes in fragment size compared to fungi. Fungi resulted in faster decomposition of large fragments than bacteria. For small oak litter fragments, bacteria showed faster decomposition than fungi, whereas the opposite was true for small pine litter. Therefore, the decomposition dominance of bacteria and fungi was regulated by fragment size and influenced by the chemical quality of litter, especially the lignin:N ratio. The contrasting decomposition dominances of bacteria versus fungi were likely attributed to filamentous fungi penetrating litter interiors and forming mycelial bridges between scattered litters. Bacteria resided on litter surfaces and even formed biofilms. Consistent with the findings of the microcosm experiment, the proportion of small fragments was greater in the fresh litter layer than in the decomposed layer in the field, and greater in the pine forest than in the oak forest, suggesting the fresh, large, and low-quality litter was preferentially fragmented by fungi. Consequently, the dominance of fungi and bacteria during litter decomposition in the conventional view should be revisited considering the litter size.

Letters to a Pine

Three letters to a small pine tree written as part of an online performance in October 2020 are compiled and edited into a video essay, with reflective and explanatory commentaries inserted after each letter. The video essay serves as an example of how PAR (performance as research) methodologies can “challenge the epistemological assumptions concerning the concept of research” and how they can “reinvigorate academic conventions” of presenting research results in conferences and publications. The most relevant question is whether performance practices, such as writing letters to trees next to the trees, can serve as an aid for an academic as well as an art audience to focus their attention on trees and other beings with whom we share this world.

Decadienal afforestation and risks to montane grassland amphibians in the Udzungwa Plateau, Tanzania

AbstractHuman modification of the environment has drastically changed ecosystems around the globe. While forest‐loss (deforestation) has been well studied for its effects on ecosystems, afforestation also has major impacts. The Udzungwa Plateau in Tanzania is naturally a mix of forests and grasslands. However, non‐native pine plantations have recently increased in the area displacing the native grasslands of the montane plateau. In this study, we explored the effects of land use change on amphibian communities by comparing amphibian surveys before non‐native plantations were introduced (~2000) and after (2017–2019). To put these amphibian surveys into wider context across the plateau and to distinguish local population loss compared to plateau‐wide extinctions, we sample diversity at new sampling locations and locations with multiple surveys through time. We then assessed landscape change through remotely sensed data and ground surveys. Amphibian encounter surveys found approximately the same species diversity across all sampling locations, but local extinctions appear likely. Remaining amphibians appear to be limited to small refugia in non‐pine wetlands. Approximately half (45%) of the species found have limited distributional ranges (&lt;72,000 km2) and are described as habitat specialists by the IUCN Red List. Monitoring pine plantation growth using remote sensing techniques suggested only limited extensions of plantations between 2000 through to 2013–2016, but ground surveys found small pines (&lt;3 years old) throughout almost all areas identified as grasslands on satellite imagery. Our study highlights the plight of this narrowing biome on the African continent and calls for more research on the impact of non‐native plantations on natural communities.Abstract in Swahili is available with online material.

Use of sulphur in bareroot pine and hardwood nurseries

During the 20th century, managers at sandy nurseries utilized sulphur (S) to lower soil pH and mitigate the risk of iron deficiency. During that time, however, applying S as a fertilizer was a rare event. At many nurseries, S in rain and irrigation water was sufficient to avoid visual deficiency symptoms. The S status of soil and foliage was typically unknown, and many researchers did not test for S due to the additional cost. Consequently, S became the most neglected macronutrient. While a few nursery trials demonstrated that elemental S reduced damping-off and increased height growth, a majority showed no benefit after applying S at rates lower than 100 kg ha-1. Even so, by 1980, S-deficiencies occurred at bareroot nurseries in Alabama, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, the United Kingdom, and likely in North Dakota and New York. The risk of a deficiency increases when N-only fertilizers are applied to seedbeds. Due to research, experience and the precautionary principle, several managers transitioned to using ammonium sulfate instead of, less expensive, N-only nitrogen fertilizers. After soil tests became affordable, managers began to ask questions about the need to apply S to seedbeds.&#x0D; Only a few hydroponic trials with small pine seedlings have been used to estimate “threshold” or “critical values” for foliar S. Since an initial 1,500 μg g-1 S value is “unreliable” for pine seedlings, some authors lowered the value to 1,100 μg g-1 and even as low as 500 μg g-1 S. Others ignore all estimates based on total S concentrations and, instead, monitor only foliar SO4 levels.

New record of Hylobius (Callirus) pinastri (Gyllenhal, 1813) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) in Volyn Region

H. pinastri (small pine weevil) inhabits almost the entire Palearctic. Lives in coniferous and mixed forests, mainly in wet spruce forests on Picea abies, rarely Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae). Larvae develop in bark of stumps, lower parts of trunks and cutted woods. In Ukraine, this species occurs mainly in the north-western part (Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk regions) and one record was published from the east of the country (Kharkiv region). In the Volyn region, one specimen of H. pinastri was found in the in the Shatskyi National Nature Park. The collection of material was carried out by counting animals on six test plots from 05.07.2022 to 09.25.2022. Three Barber traps were placed in each trial area. The traps were located at a distance of 50 m from each other. New finds of H. pinastri were registered in the Kivertsi National Park "Tsumanska Pushcha". 1 female was collected in a pine forest; 3 females and 2 males – on the border between the spruce forest and dry spruces; 1 male and 1 female – in dry spruces forest; 5 females was collected in a spruce forest with mixed hardwoods. The paper provides a key for the identification of two closely related species, H. pinastri and H. abietis. Current finds of this species confirm previously published data on its occurrence in the Volyn region and the contiguity of this species to spruce stands. It can be expected that H. pinastri can be found in other places of Ukraine.

Red-cockaded woodpecker habitat characteristics associated with partial brood loss in the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain, USA

Some red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) Dryobates borealis populations remain understudied. This is notable because management that incorporates population demographics and site characteristics may benefit RCW recovery. The Oakmulgee Ranger District of the Talladega National Forest (Alabama, USA) has no wiregrass Aristida stricta, small forest stand sizes, rolling topography, and contains an understudied RCW population. Our goal in the Oakmulgee was to characterize RCW habitat, possibly identify ways in which habitat differed from other regions, and estimate associations between habitat and reproductive output. We found that 70.2 and 92.5% of sampled stands met recovery standard thresholds for small and large pine basal area (BA) as defined in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) RCW Recovery Plan. While 74.6% of longleaf pine Pinus palustris-dominated stands met the threshold for overstory hardwood canopy composition, 60.0% of loblolly pine P. taeda-dominated stands did not. Few stands met the recommended percentage of herbaceous understory (19.8%) or recommended absence of hardwood midstory. A lower rate of partial brood loss was associated with a greater area of large pines (≥25.4 cm diameter at breast height; DBH), a smaller area of small pines (≥10 and &lt;25.4 cm DBH), a larger area burned in the dormant season, and higher RCW density. In our models, hardwood overstory and midstory did not influence egg or hatchling production. Hardwoods in the Oakmulgee could contribute to unfavorable habitat, as indicated in the USFWS RCW Recovery Plan, as well as relate to variation in habitat across the RCW’s range. Regions of the RCW’s range are understudied, and limited staffing and funding impede advances in understanding and conservation.

Новые данные о гнездовании беркута в бассейне реки Бердь, Новосибирская область, Россия

Новые данные о гнездовании беркута в бассейне реки Бердь, Новосибирская область, Россия

Monitoring studies of habitats of rare species and tree-dwelling insects in the Emerald Network sites

The pine stands of the Vyshcha Dubechnia State Forestry Enterprise in the Emerald Network sites Kyivske Reservoir UA0000094, Kyivske Podesennia UA0000233, Mizhrichynsky Regional Landscape Park UA0000047 are an important reserve that includes species and habitats of insects that are subject to protection. Most of the existing studies in this area were designed to identify and describe individual habitats, while xylophagous insects were not considered. The purpose of the research was to identify rare and endangered species of tree-dwelling insects in unique natural complexes. The research methods included reconnaissance surveys to determine the species composition of insects and their density. The surveys were conducted in 2020-2022, covering 33 plots with a total area of 50.5 hectares. The monitoring was performed through regular surveys of the territories, during which rare species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine and the Berne Convention resolution were identified. A desktop analysis of forestry materials was conducted. Rare species of insects subject to protection are encountered, but outside the areas where monitoring observations were conducted. These are mainly water, marsh, meadow lands, etc. Accounting for stem pests such as Scolytinae (small pine engraver Tomicus minor and pine shoot beetle Tomicus piniperda), Buprestidae (steelblue jewel beetle Phaenops cyanea) and Cerambycidae (pine sawyer Monochamus galloprovincialis and timberman beetle Acanthocinus aedilis). The identified populations of xylophagous insects are described as low to medium density, occurring only on very weakened trees, and species such as Chrysobothris affinis, Cerambyx scopolii, and Scolytus ratzeburgi are rare. The results of the study will serve as an informational base for the development of regional biodiversity conservation programs and the implementation of mechanisms for the sustainable use of forest resources

Multi-Temporal Sentinel-2 Data Analysis for Smallholding Forest Cut Control

Land fragmentation and small plots are the main features of the rural environment of Galicia (NW Spain). Smallholding limits land use management, representing a drawback in local forest planning. This study analyzes the potential use of multitemporal Sentinel-2 images to detect and control forest cuts in very small pine and eucalyptus plots located in southern Galicia. The proposed approach is based on the analysis of Sentinel-2 NDVI time series in 4231 plots smaller than 3 ha (average 0.46 ha). The methodology allowed us to detect cuts, allocate cut dates and quantify plot areas due to different cutting cycles in an uneven-aged stand. An accuracy of approximately 95% was achieved when the whole plot was cut, with an 81% accuracy for partial cuts. The main difficulty in detecting and dating cuts was related to cloud cover, which affected the multitemporal analysis. In conclusion, the proposed methodology provides an accurate estimation of cutting date and area, helping to improve the monitoring system in sustainable forest certifications to ensure compliance with forest management plans.

How Timber Harvest Affects the Structure and Diversity of a Montane Forest in Southern Mexico

Timber extraction directly affects forest structure by opening the canopy, reducing the density and volume of dominant species, and transforming the composition, diversity, and functioning of the forest. We analyze the richness, diversity, and basal area of tree species in a pine–oak montane forest under two stages of the Silvicultural Development Method (thinning and liberation cut treatments) in comparison with remnants of forest considered to be control treatment in the Ocotones forest. Timber extraction began 14 years previously but its effect on the tree structure has not been studied to date in this area. We quantified and measured all the trees with a diameter at breast height &gt;5 cm in 12 0.1 ha circular plots in each treatment. Diversity (Hill numbers) and the importance value index were calculated in each treatment. Observed species richness did not differ between treatments; Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. and Quercus sapotifolia Liebm. were the dominant species regardless of treatment. The principal differences in density and basal area among the treatments were found between the small oaks and small pines. In general, tree density recovered in managed areas because of newly recruited pines and re-sprouting oaks. Although no significant reduction in species richness was detected between treatments, species composition and vegetation structure were modified by the extraction of pine timber and the permanence of many large oaks. Silvicultural treatments appear to create conditions favorable to the maintenance of species richness. The silvicultural interventions in the site meet the objectives of timber production, regeneration, and biodiversity conservation; however, the question of how long the forest can maintain its species diversity and structure after timber extraction remains to be addressed.

Hydrometeorological dataset of West Siberian boreal peatland: a 10-year record from the Mukhrino field station

Abstract. Northern peatlands represent one of the largest carbon pools in the biosphere, but the carbon they store is increasingly vulnerable to perturbations from climate and land-use change. Meteorological observations taken directly at peatland areas in Siberia are unique and rare, while peatlands are characterized by a specific local climate. This paper presents a hydrological and meteorological dataset collected at the Mukhrino peatland, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Russia, over the period of 8 May 2010 to 31 December 2019. Hydrometeorological data were collected from stations located at a small pine–shrub–Sphagnum ridge and Scheuchzeria–Sphagnum hollow at ridge–hollow complexes of ombrotrophic peatland. The monitored meteorological variables include air temperature, air humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, incoming and reflected photosynthetically active radiation, net radiation, soil heat flux, precipitation (rain), and snow depth. A gap-filling procedure based on the Gaussian process regression model with an exponential kernel was developed to obtain continuous time series. For the record from 2010 to 2019, the average mean annual air temperature at the site was −1.0 ∘C, with the mean monthly temperature of the warmest month (July) recorded as 17.4 ∘C and for the coldest month (January) −21.5 ∘C. The average net radiation was about 35.0 W m−2, and the soil heat flux was 2.4 and 1.2 W m−2 for the hollow and the ridge sites, respectively. The presented data are freely available through Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4323024, Dyukarev et al., 2020), last access: 15 December 2020) and can be used in coordination with other hydrological and meteorological datasets to examine the spatiotemporal effects of meteorological conditions on local hydrological responses across cold regions.

Caddy Master

When he hits off the tee, eyeson the ball until it stops. Mark it, anynear object, a small pine, a hedge, a dipin the rough. Players don’t lose golf balls,caddies do. Fairways are easy, slicesand hooks are when you earn your tips.Guy throws his club, you don’thave to get it, but that’s where you earnyour tip. Drunk guy yells at you,report it to me, but . . . tips, right?Guy curses high heaven, that’s golf.On the greens, tread lightly. That’swhen the money’s won or lost.Don’t rattle the bag, lay it down gently,and hand him his putter, grip-first.Never step in the line of a guy’s putt.Step over it and say, Excuse me.Better yet, walk around it. You! Putdown that Moon Pie when I’m talking!On a long putt, hold the pin at the topand grab the flag. Take it outjust after he putts. I see you lay a pinon a green, you’re fired. Smooth anyball-marks on the green. Easea tee under the little knuckle of grassand lift. I’ll show you in a moment.I get a complaint, I’ll defend youto a point, but the golfer’salways right, even when he’s wrong.He’s your boss for 18 holes. So, Sirevery time, and keep your mouth shut.Guy tells you a dirty joke, laugh.Guy breaks his club against a tree, don’tlaugh, even though it’s the funniestthing you’ll see out there.

Dendro-anthracological tools applied to Scots type pine forests exploitation as fuel during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the southern central pre-Pyrenees (Spain)

This work focuses on the reconstruction of fuelwood procurement during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the southern central Pre-Pyrenees (Spain). The study combines wood charcoal identification with the application of dendro-anthracological approaches in the archaeological sequence of Esplugón (9.4–6.8 kyr cal BP) (Sabiñanigo, Huesca). Scots type pine (Pinus sylvestris tp.) reaches in this record around 90% of exploited firewood in line with its abundance in the inner Iberia mountainous areas during the onset of the Holocene. The classification of pine wood fragments in anthraco-groups is based on the combination of different dendro-anthracological tools: i) pith location tool and wood diameter estimation based on the trigonomethric method tool (ADmodel), ii) the study of growth rate based on the annual tree-ring width measurements, and iii) a modern dendrological dataset. There are hardly any differences observed in firewood procurement between the last hunter-gatherers and the first farmers in the long sequences from rock-shelters with recurrent human occupations. First results from this site point to the exploitation of whole trees but a high use of small pine branches probably from the gathering of branch shedding.

Disentangling the role of prefire vegetation vs. burning conditions on fire severity in a large forest fire in SE Spain

Fire severity is a function of dynamic interactions between vegetation and burning conditions. To understand the factors that control it, accurate methods for estimating prefire vegetation structure and composition as well as fire propagation conditions are required. Here we analyzed the spatial variability of fire severity in a mixed-severity fire (3217 ha) that occurred in southeast Spain (Yeste, Albacete) from 27th July to 1th August 2017, burning mostly a pine woodland, including part of an earlier fire in 1994. Fire severity was estimated using three satellite-based indices derived from the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) using Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 images from the dates before and immediately after fire. The field-based Composite Burn Index (CBI) was used for validation. Prefire vegetation conditions and fuel models were derived from LiDAR metrics and other vegetation data. Fire propagation conditions were estimated based on a fire progression map provided by the Forestry Services of Castilla-La Mancha. In addition, hourly fire weather and aligned (i.e., in the sense of the propagating fire-front) slope and wind speed were calculated for each burning period. Regression models using different spectral fire severity indices and their driving factors were obtained applying Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs). Fire severity was highly predicted by both burning conditions and prefire vegetation (mean adjusted R2 [Adj.R2]: 86% ± 0.04 and 68% ± 0.05 for training and validation sets, respectively). Alone, burning conditions explained more variance than LiDAR metrics and vegetation separately. The single variables that contributed most to the models were the rate of spread of the fire-front, biomass proxies (i.e., Leaf Area Index [LAI] and fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation [fPAR]) and understory vegetation (i.e., density of LiDAR points 1–2 m). Higher fire severity occurred in areas burning uphill, with a high rate of spread driven by high velocity winds and under high maximum temperature. Fire severity was high in wooded stands that were heterogeneous in height, composed by scattered and small Pinus halepensis trees, with high and homogeneous understory cover. In contrast, lower fire severity occurred in mature stands dominated by tall Pinus pinaster and Pinus nigra trees. There were strong interactions between vegetation, weather, fire-aligned topography and rate of spread. Because vegetation variables were important drivers of fire severity, even under extreme fire weather conditions, fuel management treatments to limit fire severity and, potentially, fire size should be implemented.

Nesting of Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus in a nest of Red Kite Milvus milvus

In June 2019 we found a nest of Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus in a nest of Red Kite Milvus milvus. It contained five chicks and was located on the side of the kite nest. The nests were located 17 m above ground in a pine tree in a small pine woodland within farmland in western Poland. We believe that this is the first record of Eurasian Tree Sparrow breeding in a Red Kite nest. Our observation supports the notion of great adaptability and flexibility in selection of nest site reported by other authors, who have found Eurasian Tree Sparrow nest in large twig nests of several species.

Análisis financiero de una plantación de Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. et Cham. de pequeña escala

Existen cientos de pequeñas plantaciones de Pinus patula en los estados mexicanos de Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala e Hidalgo, entre otros; sin embargo, a la fecha se desconoce su factibilidad financiera. Mediante los conceptos de Valor Presente Neto (VPN), Relación Beneficio/Costo (B/C) y Tasa Interna de Retorno (TIR), se evaluó esta condición de una plantación de P. patula de 3 000 m2 con 17 años de edad, cuya producción se canalizaría a la elaboración de pulpa para papel y de madera aserrada. Tanto los costos como los beneficios y los datos dasométricos se registraron a lo largo del periodo de vida del proyecto, excepto para los primeros cinco y los últimos tres años. Los costos de los cinco años iniciales se derivaron de entrevistas con el dueño de la plantación. Los costos y beneficios durante los tres últimos años se estimaron a partir de los datos dasométricos de la plantación e información regional de los precios de los productos proyectados. Los valores de VPN, relación B/C y TIR fueron MX$ 37 959.00, 2.32 % y 26.61 %, respectivamente. Los beneficios y costos que más impactaron el balance financiero del proyecto fueron aquellos que ocurrieron al inicio del mismo. Consecuentemente, se recomienda la implementación de estrategias para disminuir costos e incrementar beneficios durante la etapa inicial. Los sistemas agroforestales, entre otros, pueden proveer esquemas adecuados para tal fin.

Species and structural diversity affect growth of oak, but not pine, in uneven-aged mature forests

The effects of mixing tree species on tree growth and stand production have been abundantly studied, mostly looking at tree species diversity effects while controlling for stand density and structure. Regarding the shift towards managing forests as complex adaptive systems, we also need insight into the effects of structural diversity. Strict forest reserves, left for spontaneous development, offer unique opportunities for studying the effects of diversity in tree species and stand structure. We used data from repeated inventories in ten forest reserves in the Netherlands and northern Belgium to study the growth of pine and oak. We investigated whether the diversity of a tree's local neighbourhood (i.e., species and structural diversity) is important in explaining its basal area growth. For the subcanopy oak trees, we found a negative effect of the tree species richness of the local neighbours, which – in the studied forests – was closely related to the share of shade-casting tree species in the neighbourhood. The growth of the taller oak trees was positively affected by the height diversity of the neighbour trees. Pine tree growth showed no relation with neighbourhood diversity. Tree growth decreased with neighbourhood density for both species (although no significant relationship was found for the small pines). We found no overall diversity-growth relationship in the studied uneven-aged mature forests; the relationship depended on tree species identity and the aspect of diversity considered (species vs. structural diversity).

Primera cita del enemigo natural Acalanthis quadrisignata (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) asociado con cámaras pupales de Pissodes castaneus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), en la provincia de Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina

Acalanthis quadrisignata Erichson (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) is an endemic beetle predator of southern Chile and Argentina, inhabiting native forest environments. By conducting a study on the life cycle of the small banded pine weevil, Pissodes castaneus De Geer, using trap logs and sampling forest debries, in a Pinus radiata (D. Don) afforestation in Trevelin (Chubut, Argentina), between September 2014 and September 2015, adults of A. quadrisignata were found inside the pupal chambers of the weevil. This is the first record of a natural enemy of P. castaneus in Patagonia, Argentina. This contribution adds a new habitat record where A. quadrisignata can develop and a new record to its geographical distribution in Argentina.

Long‐distance dispersal of non‐native pine bark beetles from host resources

1. Dispersal and host detection are behaviours promoting the spread of invading populations in a landscape matrix. In fragmented landscapes, the spatial arrangement of habitat structure affects the dispersal success of organisms.2. The aim of the present study was to determine the long distance dispersal capabilities of two non‐native pine bark beetles (Hylurgus ligniperda and Hylastes ater) in a modified and fragmented landscape with non‐native pine trees. The role of pine density in relation to the abundance of dispersing beetles was also investigated.3. This study took place in the Southern Alps, New Zealand. A network of insect panel traps was installed in remote valleys at known distances from pine resources (plantations or windbreaks). Beetle abundance was compared with spatially weighted estimates of nearby pine plantations and pine windbreaks.4. Both beetles were found ≥25 km from the nearest host patch, indicating strong dispersal and host detection capabilities. Small pine patches appear to serve as stepping stones, promoting spread through the landscape. Hylurgus ligniperda (F.) abundance had a strong inverse association with pine plantations and windbreaks, whereas H. ater abundance was not correlated with distance to pine plantations but positively correlated with distance to pine windbreaks, probably reflecting differences in biology and niche preferences. Host availability and dispersed beetle abundance are the proposed limiting factors impeding the spread of these beetles.5. These mechanistic insights into the spread and persistence of H. ater and H. ligniperda in a fragmented landscape provide ecologists and land managers with a better understanding of factors leading to successful invasion events, particularly in relation to the importance of long‐distance dispersal ability and the distribution and size of host patches.