Page last updated on: 03/26/2014
The main goal of the Forest Health Dynamics Laboratory is to determine how to manage for a healthy forest and not exacerbate insect and disease problems.
The current research emphasis is the
biology and ecology of the root pathogens Leptographium,
Grosmannia and Ophiostoma
species and their bark beetle vectors as components of southern
pine
decline and mortality. Primary areas of interest include
mycology, host-fungal interactions, fungal-insect interactions,
fungal and insect ecology, forest health, and disease risk
mapping and modeling and
disease
distribution.
Interactions of future climate change scenarios of elevated tropospheric ozone and decreasing rainfall amounts with loblolly pine decline.
Mapping spores on intact bark beetles using hyperspectral imaging.
Field evaluations of controlled vapor delivery method in an IPM system for loblolly pine
Resistance of Pinus taeda families against Leptographium root fungi and assessment of family morphological traits linked to Leptographium infection
Wood chemistry, stiffness and disease resistance
Identification and description of newly found Leptographium and Ophiostoma species.
Validation of risk mapping for loblolly decline across the southeastern US.
Pathogenicity of Leptographium species associated with southern pine decline.
Forest health evaluation of stand health in association with biomass removal.
Hylastes species, management, and pine decline.
Fungi associated with wild pigs and their rooting habits in southern pine stands.
Hylastes population dynamics and forest health evaluation in association with thinning and fertilization.
