Lower stem and root-feeding beetles and their associated fungi within the longleaf pine savanna

Hurricane Michael devastated southwestern Georgia, causing major damage to longleaf pine forests. In the aftermath downed, stressed, and dying trees provided habitat to lower stem and root-feeding beetles which can vector disease-causing fungi. The Klepzig lab at the Jones Center at Ichauway and the Villari lab at Warnell will conduct research to compare current management practices to restore longleaf pine habitats. These practices include prescribed burning and salvage logging. 15 plots are set up that include: (i) wind-disturbed only; (ii) wind-disturbed/prescribed burned; and (iii) wind-disturbed/prescribed burned/salvage logged. Within these plots, transects will be established containing baited pitfall and Lindgren funnel traps, which will be monitored all year for two years, for beetles in the genera Hylastes, Hylobius, Pachylobius, and Dendroctonus. To characterize the blue-stain fungi associated with these beetles, baited live traps will be utilized to capture live target beetles from which associated fungi can be isolated. These fungi will be identified using morphological characters and DNA sequencing. Longleaf pine roots will also be sampled to characterize the blue-stain fungi present in trees, vectored by the target beetles. This research will increase our understanding of the response of root insects and fungi in response to wind damage and management practices.