forest health panel - invasives - dr. tamara walkingstick

Arkansas Invaders: Invasive Species in Arkansas Forests

Tamara Walkingstick, Ph.D.

Jon Barry, Ph.D.

UA Division of Agriculture

Arkansas Forest Resources Center

Introduction

Definition of InvasiveProblem with InvasivesTop Invasive PlantsWhat’s comingWhat to doUseful websites

Which of theseis an Invasive?

What about these?

What is an Invasive Species?

ALL OF THEM!!! OR ARE THEY?According to the USFS:

“..a species that is non-native or alien to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”

Invasive Exotic SpeciesNot all invasive species are

exoticEg. Sweetgum, elm, E. Red

Cedar+.

Not all Exotics are invasiveEg. Japanese Maple, Catalpa

BUT many areEg: Kudzu, Honeysuckle,

Privet

What’s the problem?

Replace rare & endangered speciesHybridize w/native plant speciesKill trees & shrubsPrevent forest regenerationHarbor plant pathogens, such as

bacterial leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa)Kill of entire species: ie disease like

Chestnut Blight

Other Damage

Compete with native species.

Alter hydrological patterns & stream function

Change fire regimes

Might contain toxins that may be lethal to certain animals. For example, garlic mustard can

be lethal to a native butterfly species.

Cost of Invasives

Spreading over approximately 1,729,730 acres per year

Invasive plants cost $35 billion in damages & treatment each year!!

Percent Forest Area Covered by Invasive Species

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

Alabam

a

Miss

issip

pi

Tenne

ssee

Kentu

cky

S. Car

olina

Virgin

ia

Texas

(eas

t)

Georg

ia

N. Car

olina

Louis

iana

Arkan

sas

Florida

State

Pe

rce

nt

Co

ve

rag

e

3.0

%

What about Arkansas?

From FIA 2008 data

Non-native Invasive Species Presence by Plant Type for Arkansas

69.5%

18.8%

8.8%

2.3%

0.7%

Vines

Shrubs

Ferns and Forbs

Grasses

Trees

Top Five Invasive Plants

MimosaPrivetsJapanese HoneysuckleTall fescueNon-native LespedezaThese species occurred on the most

forested acreage based on FIA data.http://www.invasive.org/fiamaps/

Potential Invasive Species

Cogon GrassEmerald Ash BorerSirex WaspAsian Long Horn BeetleGypsy MothThousand Cankers Disease

Cogongrass Imperata cylindrica

Federal Noxious Weed

Fire hazard

No wildlife value

Reduces tree seedling growth & establishment

Very difficult to remove once established

Wind and equipment spread

Whitish midrib often off-center

Very Dense Mat of Rhizomes

• Cogongrass in Mississippi – 2010

• It’s in Greenville, MS

• US Hwy 82 & Hwy 278 are potential entry points at Lake Village

Click icon to add picture

Courtesy of www.cogongrass.org

Web site for informationhttp://www.cogongrass.org/

Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus planipennis

• Adults feed on ash foliage - cause little damage• Larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees

– disrupt tree's ability to transport water & nutrients

Research It

www.emeraldashborer.info

Asian Longhorned BeetleAnoplophora glabripennis

Male

ALB Larva

ALB Pupa

Adult & Exit Hole

http://beetlebusters.info/

Thousand Cankers Disease

A new pest complex could pose a major threat to walnut trees (Juglans spp.).

The black walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis) transmits a Penicillium-like fungus (Geosmithia) cause what is termed “thousand cankers disease.”

Although not yet detected in Arkansas, it is killing large numbers of eastern black walnuts in various western states.

http://www.thousandcankerdisease.com/

Found in TN in 2010

Thousand Cankers Disease

Beetles feed on trees & transmit spores of the fungus to the tree

At each feeding location, the fungus will form a canker.

The tree declines & dies about thousands to beetles attacks and therefore cankers

Cankers are not evident on the exterior bark of the tree

Initial attacks by the beetle are extremely difficult to detect.

http://www.thousandcankerdisease.com/

http://thousandcankerdisease.com/

Web Resources

http://www.invasive.org/

http://www.invasive.org/video/plants.html

Weeds Gone Wild

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/index.htm

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/resources/org.shtml

http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/rasberry.html

Invasive Species in AR Forests

Program Funded by: Arkansas State Plant Board

USDA Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Focus: Education regarding potential

invasive species to AR forests

Train professionals, MGs, MNs, agents

Methods: Presentations

Website

On-line courses

State-wide Conference

Educational materials

Research It

www.arinvasives.org

On-line Course: Arkansas Invaders

Instructional videos

Scripted Presentations

On-line reading materials

Discussion board

Quizzes

Resources

Certificate

CFE’s

Report It

forestry.arkansas.gov

www.gri.msstate.edu/ipams

Report It

Research It

www.hungrypests.com

TexasInvasives.Org

Research It

Impacts

400 registered foresters educated

80% of all foresters registered in AR

Includes foresters from AR, OK, LA, TX

Estimated 3.3 million acres of woodland (~18% of the forested acres in AR)

> 250 Master Gardeners educated

One Master Gardener wrote:

“Because of two presentations of yours that I heard, I removed five burning bushes as well as a wee clump of Japanese Blood grass. People drive by my gardens to get ideas about what to plant…they stop and ask questions too.

“Rather difficult for me to say, ‘Don’t plant these’ when they are on display in our yard. … Just wanted you to know that you are making a difference with your talks”.

ConclusionsInvasive Pests are coming.

We can slow them down.

We need you to help.

Questions?