Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
USDA Forest Service, 271 Mast Rd., Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
Glob Chang Biol. 2017 Jan;23(1):394-405. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13359. Epub 2016 Jun 10.
The defoliation of the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) across the northeastern United States is an escalating concern threatening the ecological health of northern forests and economic vitality of the region's lumber industry. First documented in the spring of 2010 affecting 24 328 hectares in the state of Maine, white pine needle damage (WPND) has continued to spread and is now well established in all New England states. While causal agents of WPND are known, current research is lacking in both sampling distribution and the specific environmental factor(s) that affect the development and spread of this disease complex. This study aims to construct a more detailed distribution map of the four primary causal agents within the region, as well as utilize long-term WPND monitoring plots and data collected from land-based weather stations to develop a climatic model to predict the severity of defoliation events in the proceeding year. Sampling results showed a greater distribution of WPND than previously reported. WPND was generally found in forest stands that compromised >50% eastern white pine by basal area. No single species, nor a specific combination of species had a dominating presence in particular states or regions, thus supporting the disease complex theory that WPND is neither caused by an individual species nor by a specific combination of species. In addition, regional weather data confirmed the trend of increasing temperature and precipitation observed in this region with the previous year's May, June, and July rainfall being the best predictor of defoliation events in the following year. Climatic models were developed to aid land managers in predicting disease severity and accordingly adjust their management decisions. Our results clearly demonstrate the role changing climate patterns have on the health of eastern white pine in the northeastern United States.
美国东北部东部白松（Pinus strobus）的落叶现象日益严重，这对北方森林的生态健康和该地区木材工业的经济活力构成了威胁。2010 年春季首次记录到这种现象，影响了缅因州的 24328 公顷土地，白松针叶损伤（WPND）持续蔓延，现已在新英格兰各州广泛存在。尽管已知 WPND 的致病因子，但目前的研究在采样分布和影响这种疾病综合症状发展和传播的具体环境因素方面都有所欠缺。本研究旨在构建该地区四个主要致病因子的更详细分布图，并利用长期的 WPND 监测点和从地面气象站收集的数据，开发一个气候模型来预测来年的落叶严重程度。采样结果显示，WPND 的分布范围比以前报告的要大。WPND 通常出现在受东部白松基面积影响超过 50%的森林林分中。没有一个单一的物种，也没有一个特定的物种组合在特定的州或地区占据主导地位，因此支持了 WPND 不是由一个单一的物种或特定的物种组合引起的疾病综合症状理论。此外，区域气象数据证实了与前一年相比，该地区的温度和降水呈上升趋势，前一年的 5 月、6 月和 7 月降雨量是预测次年落叶事件的最佳指标。气候模型的开发有助于土地管理者预测疾病的严重程度，并相应地调整他们的管理决策。我们的研究结果清楚地表明，气候变化模式对美国东北部东部白松的健康状况有着重要的影响。
