Threats, Status and Management Options for Bristlecone and Limber Pine Ecosystems of the Southern Rockies

A.W. Schoettle, K.S. Burns, B. Howell, W. Jacobi, H.S.J. Kearns, M.F. Mahalovich, R.A. Sniezko, D.F. Tomback, and D.R. Vogler

USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (1), Forest Health Management (2,3,5), National Forest Systems (6), Region 6 Dorena Genetic Resources Center (7), and Pacific Southwest Research Station (9), and Colorado State University (4) and University of Colorado (8)

High-elevation white pines define the most remote alpine-forest ecotones in western North America yet they are not beyond the reach of a lethal non-native pathogen.  The pathogen (Cronartium ribicola), a native to Asia, causes the disease white pine blister rust and was introduced into western Canada in 1910.  Whitebark and limber pines have been infected for over 50 years in the northern Rockies and are currently experiencing top-kill and mortality as a result of the disease. The disease was found in southern Wyoming over 30 years ago and in northern Colorado in 1998 on limber pine.  Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine was first found infected in central Colorado in 2003.  The pathogen continues to spread and threaten the extensive high elevation pine forests of the southern Rockies.  Given the unique ecological roles played by these species, tree mortality and reduced regeneration success caused by blister rust will affect biodiversity, watershed stability, forest recovery after fire, wildlife and recreation.  This poster will summarize current  knowledge on (1) the status of bristlecone and limber pine in the Southern Rocky Mountains, (2) the potential long term consequences of the disease on ecosystem function and sustainability, (3) the prospects for successful intervention to restore ecosystem function in impacted areas and (4) in those areas not yet impacted, the prospects for proactive management to sustain critical ecological interrelationships and preserve biodiversity during naturalization.  In addition, progress on studies to define the level of genetic rust resistance, regeneration requirements, geographic variation in adaptive traits, hazard mapping and silvicultural applications for bristlecone and limber pine of the Southern Rockies will be presented.

corresponding author:

Anna W. Schoettle
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Sttion
240 West Prospect Street
Fort Collins, CO 80526-2098
970-498-1333
aschoettle@fs.fed.us