Utah State University, Watershed Sciences, 5210 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, USA.
Ecol Appl. 2013 Mar;23(2):421-37. doi: 10.1890/11-1982.1.
An innovative aerial survey method called the Landscape Assessment System (LAS) was used to assess mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae)-caused mortality of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) across the species distribution in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE; 894 774 ha). This large-scale implementation of the LAS method consisted of 8673 km of flight lines, along which 4653 geo-tagged, oblique aerial photos were captured at the catchment level (a subset of 12-digit USGS hydrologic units) and geographic information system (GIS) processed. The Mountain Pine Beetle-caused Mortality Rating System, a landscape-scale classification system designed specifically to measure the cumulative effects of recent and older MPB attacks on whitebark pine, was used to classify mortality with a rating from 0 to 6 based on the amount of red (recent attack) and gray (old attack) trees visible. The approach achieved a photo inventory of 79% of the GYE whitebark pine distribution. For the remaining 21%, mortality levels were estimated based on an interpolated surface. Results that combine the photo-inventoried and interpolated mortality indicate that nearly half (46%) of the GYE whitebark pine distribution showed severe mortality (3-4 or 5.3-5.4 rating), 36% showed moderate mortality (2-2.9 rating), 13% showed low mortality (1-1.9 rating), and 5% showed trace levels of mortality (0-0.9). These results reveal that the proliferation of MPB in the subalpine zone of the GYE due to climate warming has led to whitebark pine mortality that is more severe and widespread than indicated from either previous modeling research or USDA Forest Service Aerial Detection surveys. Sixteen of the 22 major mountain ranges of the GYE have experienced widespread moderate-to-severe mortality. The majority of catchments in the other six mountain ranges show low-to-moderate mortality. Refugia from MPB outbreaks, at least for now, also exist and correspond to locations that have colder microclimates. The spatially explicit mortality information produced by this project has helped forest managers develop and implement conservation strategies that include both preservation and restoration efforts. Future research aimed at documenting and quantifying the ecological impacts of widespread decline and collapse of this foundation and keystone species is warranted.
一种名为景观评估系统（LAS）的创新航空调查方法被用于评估大黄石生态系统（GYE；894774 公顷）内白松（Pinus albicaulis）因山松甲虫（Dendroctonus ponderosae）造成的死亡率。该 LAS 方法的大规模实施包括 8673 公里的飞行航线，沿航线在流域水平（美国地质调查局 12 位数字水文单位的一个子集）捕获了 4653 张地理标记的倾斜航空照片，并进行了地理信息系统（GIS）处理。山松甲虫引起的死亡率评级系统是一种专门用于测量最近和早期山松甲虫攻击对白松造成的累积影响的景观尺度分类系统，该系统根据可见的红（近期攻击）树和灰（旧攻击）树的数量，将死亡率分为 0 到 6 级进行分类。该方法实现了 GYE 白松分布的 79%的照片清查。对于其余的 21%，死亡率水平是根据插值表面估计的。结合照片清查和插值死亡率的结果表明，GYE 白松分布的近一半（46%）显示出严重的死亡率（3-4 级或 5.3-5.4 级），36%显示出中度死亡率（2-2.9 级），13%显示出低死亡率（1-1.9 级），5%显示出微量死亡率（0-0.9 级）。这些结果表明，由于气候变暖，GYE 亚高山带中山松甲虫的大量繁殖导致白松死亡率比之前的建模研究或美国农业部林务局航空探测调查所显示的更为严重和广泛。GYE 的 22 座主要山脉中有 16 座经历了广泛的中度至重度死亡率。其他 6 座山脉的大多数流域显示出低至中度死亡率。山松甲虫爆发的避难所至少目前还存在，与较冷的小气候区相对应。该项目生成的空间明确的死亡率信息帮助森林管理者制定和实施保护策略，包括保护和恢复工作。有必要开展未来的研究，记录和量化这种基础和关键物种广泛衰退和崩溃的生态影响。
