Threats to Oak Forest Health
Many of todays oak forests are under stress from various factors including defoliation by gypsy moth, oak dieback and decline, and possibly global warming. All of these stresses influence and potentially limit the flexibility we have in sustaining and managing oak forests. The various threats to oak forest health are reviewed in the following sections:
Subsections found in Threats to Oak Forest Health
- Acorn Predation by Insects : Acorn-infesting insects are the most studied group of pests affecting oak regeneration. Includes key terms: weevils, filbertworm, non-stinging gall wasps, pathogenic fungi and bacteria, and treehoppers.
- Acorn Predation by Wildlife : Mature acorns that escape destruction by insects face yet another hurdle. Nearly 200 species of forest wildlife consume acorns. However, an acorn that disappears from a seed trap should not necessarily be considered "destroyed."
- Nursery Root Diseases : Tree seedlings grown in large numbers in confined areas under the lush growing conditions typical of nurseries are subject to damage from a whole suite of pests not normally found in forested settings. Nursery root disease losses have been most effective
- Oak Decline : Most references to oak regeneration problems are for high-quality sites, but oak decline has the potential to limit natural regeneration opportunities in mature oak stands growing on drier sites. Oak decline, whose effects on oaks range from partial crow
- Gypsy Moth : Oaks are the preferred host of the gypsy moth, and thus the stands most susceptible to attack are those with a high proportion of oaks. Includes strategies for reducing timber losses
- Damage to Seedlings by Animals
- Damage to Seedlings by Insects
- Climate Change Effects on Oaks
Encyclopedia ID: p2207
