| Whitebark Pine Mortality and Regeneration in B.C. |
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| Investigators |
| Brendan Wilson (Ph.D. candidate), University of Alberta
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What is the Issue? |
| HIGH MORTALITY OF WHITEBARK PINE CAUSED BY WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST (CRONARTIUM SP.) FOLLOWED BY POOR REGENERATION DUE TO WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION |
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Whitebark pine is found at high elevations in the coastal and interior mountain ranges of western North America. Populations have been seriously in decline due to mortality caused by white pine blister rust. Forest fires favor the survival and regeneration of whitebark pine over fir and spruce. Government initiatives to suppress wildfire may be hampering the ability for whitebark pine forests to regenerate after experiencing mortality from outbreaks of blister rust. Whitebark pine has co-evolved with many wildlife species, most notably with the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), whose diet is made up almost exclusively of the seeds from the whitebark pine. The whitebark pine benefits from this relationship because its seeds are without wings and therefore it relies on the nutcracker for seed dispersal. Other species of wildlife, such as grizzly bears and numerous small mammals, also rely on the seeds of whitebark pine and these may be a significant component of their diet during certain times of the year.
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What is our goal? |
| TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES AND EXTENT OF MORTALITY AND SUBSEQUENT REGENERATION OF WHITEBARK PINE.
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| White Bark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) mortality and regeneration in a managed forest in the ESSF Biogeoclimatic Zone in the Interior Mountain Ranges of Southeastern British Columbia |
Where we currently stand. |
| During the 2000 field season, the research team worked in the Rocky Mountain National Parks and the Arrow Forest District in the West Kootenays. The team collected information on forest plant community structure and whitebark pine populations over a range of stand ages. The study sites were located in a variety of existing burns and adjacent older forests. This winter, the researchers are analyzing the previously collected data and are developing plans for intensive data collection within the Arrow Forest District for the 2001 field season. Fire history data will also be collected in order to review results in the context of natural disturbance. Research will eventually include investigating the impacts on Clark's nutcracker and other wildlife populations.
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You can help this project - find out how. |
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