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Radial growth changes following hemlock woolly adelgid infestation of eastern hemlock

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
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Abstract

• Context

Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is an invasive insect that is defoliating and killing eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in the USA.

• Aims

We quantified changes in tree-ring growth rates and wood anatomy for living trees infested with hemlock woolly adelgid across six sites from Massachusetts (42°41′N) to Georgia (34°53′N) to identify growth responses of eastern hemlock that had survived infestation.

• Methods

Annual ring widths from infested eastern hemlocks were cross-dated and measured. Growth rates before and after infestation were compared. Two infested trees from Virginia were cut, and thin sections were prepared to identify changes in cell properties.

• Results

At three sites, trees experienced a significant decrease in radial growth after hemlock woolly adelgid arrival; however, the other three sites showed no change or increase in growth. Latewood produced after hemlock woolly adelgid infestation had significantly smaller cells with reduced cell wall thickness compared to latewood prior to infestation.

• Conclusion

At half the sites where hemlock woolly adelgid infested eastern hemlock trees were sampled, radial growth increased or remained unchanged. This unexpected response may be due to reduced competition due to mortality of other eastern hemlocks or physiological compensatory responses of increased photosynthetic rate and increased water use efficiency experienced by eastern hemlock infested with hemlock woolly adelgid.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank J.A. Peterson, J.J. Feldhaus, R.J. Kidd, M. Silsby, R. Hall, and B.J. Beale for assistance in the field.

Funding

This research was supported by the USDA NIFA Special Grant No. 2010-34489-20784 and Southern Appalachian Botanical Society Earl Core Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    David M. Walker & Carolyn A. Copenheaver

  2. Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Audrey Zink-Sharp

Authors
  1. David M. Walker
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  2. Carolyn A. Copenheaver
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  3. Audrey Zink-Sharp
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolyn A. Copenheaver.

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Handling Editor: Francois Lieutier

Contribution of co-authors

Walker (this study was his M.S. thesis project—he completed study design, field work, lab work, data analysis, and writing), Copenheaver (Walker’s M.S. advisor—she assisted with study design, field work, data analysis, and writing), and Zink-Sharp (Walker’s graduate committee member—she assisted with lab work and writing).

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Walker, D.M., Copenheaver, C.A. & Zink-Sharp, A. Radial growth changes following hemlock woolly adelgid infestation of eastern hemlock. Annals of Forest Science 71, 595–602 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0367-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0367-3

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