Ponderosa pine mortality resulting from a mountain pine beetle outbreak

William F. McCambridge; Frank G. Hawksworth; Carleton B. Edminster; John G. Laut

doi:10.2737/RM-RP-235

Treesearch

Ponderosa pine mortality resulting from a mountain pine beetle outbreak

Informally Refereed

Authors:

William F. McCambridge, Frank G. Hawksworth, Carleton B. Edminster, John G. Laut

Year:

1982

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/RM-RP-235

Source:

Res. Paper RM-RP-235. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 7 p.

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Download (PDF 889 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/30385.pdf

Abstract

From 1965 to 1978, mountain pine beetles killed 25% of the pines taller than 4.5 feet in a study area in north-central Colorado. Average basal area was reduced from 92 to 58 square feet per acre. Mortality increased with tree diameter up to about 9 inches d.b.h. Larger trees appeared to be killed at random. Mortality was directly related to number of trees per acre and presence of dwarf mistletoe, but not to site index, elevation, and percent Douglas-fir in the stand.

Keywords

Dendroctonus ponderosae, Pinus ponderosa mortality, tree and stand characteristics

Citation

McCambridge, William F.; Hawksworth, Frank G.; Edminster, Carleton B.; Laut, John G. 1982. Ponderosa pine mortality resulting from a mountain pine beetle outbreak. Res. Paper RM-RP-235. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 7 p.