Notebook

You are expected to keep a notebook of your work that you may have to present to your instructor at the completion of the course. The notebook should contain all homework assignments and any other information relevant to the course. Writing in the notebook should be done neatly by hand and drawings should be used whenever possible to illustrate your work. Notebooks will be graded according to completeness, neatness and general overall quality. Your notebook will reflect the amount of time and care you have put into this course.

1. Read Chapter 8, Prevention of Insect Outbreaks, of your textbook Forest Insects: Principles and Practice of Population Management and make notes and drawings in your notebook.
2. Do the problems specified below and send your answers to your instructor.
3. Go through Session 6 on the Internet and make notes in your notebook.

Problem

1. Examination of an evenaged 60-year-old lodgepole pine stand growing on a mesic site near to a major trout stream (Slide) showed that the periodic growth ratio was greater than 1 and the crown ratio (length of live crown / tree height) was greater than 0.5. Aerial survey indicates occasional trees infested by the mountain pine beetle but no large beetle populations in the immediate vicinity. This stand is located on a National Forest where the major land uses are watershed protection, summer grazing by cattle, and winter range for deer and elk. Timber production is of low priority but is necessary to provide financial support for the other land uses.

1. Make an assessment of the threat of insect infestations in this stand and your reasons for this assessment.
2. What. if any, immediate silvicultural treatments would you recommend for this stand? Please give your reasons.

1. Examination of an evenaged 80-year-old lodgepole pine stand growing on a somewhat drier site (Slide) showed that the periodic growth ratio was less than 1 and the crown ratio (length of live crown / tree height) was less than 0.3. Aerial survey showed heavy infestations by the mountain pine beetle 30 miles to the east but no large beetle populations in the immediate vicinity. This stand is located on a National Forest where the major land uses are timber production, summer grazing by cattle, and winter range for a large elk herd.

1. Make an assessment of the threat of insect infestations in this stand and your reasons for this assessment.
2. What. if any, immediate silvicultural treatments would you recommend for this stand? Please give your reasons.

Questions

Questions similar to those below may appear on the first examination. You can practice your knowledge of this session by answering these questions and checking the answers against the information in the reading or Internet.

1. What is meant by the term "prevention"?
2. What is silviculture?
3. Why is silviculture considered to be an art as well as a science?
4. What are some of the advantages of clearcutting?
5. What are the problems associated with clearcutting?
6. Why do bark beetle problems arise around clearcuts?
7. How are beetle problems around clearcut Douglas-fir dealt with?
8. Why do clearcuts create problems from root weevils?
9. Why are the edges of clearcuts such a problem?
10. Why is clearcutting sometimes necessary?
11. How can you control the species composition of clearcuts?
12. What species should be encouraged on clearcuts?
13. What problems are inherent in genetic improvement programs?
14. What insect problems are associated with evenaged forest management?
15. How can we improve the insect resistance of evenaged forests?
16. What is shelterwood harvesting?
17. What are the benefits of shelterwood management?
18. What are the some of the problems with shelterwood management?
19. What is selection cutting?
20. What are the advantages of selection cutting?
21. What are some of the problems with selection cutting?
22. What is "free-style" silviculture?
23. How can one increase the diversity of forest stands?
24. Why are diverse stands more resistant to insect infestation?
25. How does thinning increase the resistance of forest stands?
26. How can the timing of logging operations affect insect infestation?
27. What insect problems can result from pruning trees?
28. How can fertilization affect insect infestations?
29. How can controlled burning affect insect populations?
30. How can herbicides affect insect populations?
31. Under what conditions may we wish to set off an insect outbreak?
32. How are natural enemies affected by silvicultural practices?
33. List the 6 general rules for improving forest health?
34. Why does the silviculturist need risk assessment models?
35. Define classical biological control and give 4 examples.
36. Describe how one can manipulate native natural enemies and give 4 examples.
37. How can the release of pests into the environment result in lower pest densities?
38. Why do pests sometimes escape from regulation by birds and mammals?
39. List the 9 steps taken when introducing natural enemies into a new environment?
40. Why are parasitoids so effective as biocontrol agents for forest pests?

E-mail your instructor to let him know that you have finished this session: berryman@mail.wsu.edu

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