Rehabilitation of Beetle-killed Stands by Improving their Associations with Mycorrhizal Fungi
How do below-ground communities change after MPB attack, and what impact does this have on regeneration?
Previous research demonstrates that fungal communities in soils change following beetle-induced stand mortality with consequences for pine seedling survival and performance. This next stage of research will investigate how community profiles of fungi in soils of beetle-killed stands vary by ecosite, and whether inoculation of pine seedlings with fungi from un-attacked pine stands can offset the effects of detrimental fungi occurring in soils of some beetle-killed stands.
This research will allow understanding of below-ground factors and their impact on seedling growth, defense and survival following stand death by MPB. The objectives are to:
- Use molecular techniques to survey community profiles of soil fungi occurring in beetle-killed stands over a range of ecosites
- use field experiments to assess whether pine seedling performance is altered by inoculation by soil fungi from different origins (beetle-killed versus undisturbed mature pine stands), and
- compare fungal community profiles between sites disturbed by fire and mountain pine beetle.
Planning, led by Dr. Justine Karst, is underway.
Dr. Karst presents the project plan at the Information Forum
Soil in stands with high pine mortality collected for DNA analysis of fungal communities
Biotic and abiotic factors in soil are assessed and compared between disturbance types and ecosites
Lodgepole pine seedlings inoculated with fungus in a greenhouse
Based on sites identified in the winter, inoculated seedlings are planted in a range of soil environments
Peer-reviewed paper in New Phytologist
Outplanted seedlings are assessed for growth and survival
Reports and QuickNotes delivered
Peer-reivewed paper in Mycorrhiza
