Landscape-Level Impact of Beech Bark Disease in Relation to Slope and Aspect in New York State

Publisher： Society of American Foresters

ISSN： 0015-749X

Source： Forest Science, Vol.52, Iss.5, 2006-10, pp. : 503-510

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Abstract

During the past 40 years, the beech bark disease complex has destabilized the beech component of New York State forests, but a selected portion of the American beech (Fagus grandifolia) population has attained a sustainable forest structure. The influence of slope and aspect in relation to beech bark disease on the sustainability of American beech populations was evaluated. There were differences in the proportion of American beech trees with signs of Neonectria spp. and beech scale (Cryptococcus fagisuga) on eastern and western aspects on slopes ≥16%. American beech populations on northern, northeastern, eastern, southeastern, and southern aspects on slopes ≥16% (23–29% of the sample) displayed diameter distributions that would sustain the current forest structure. In all other sites, observed percentage mortality in the large-diameter classes was higher than predicted, suggesting a future shift in forest structure toward lower densities of large trees in these sites.