الوصف:
A mountain pine beetle infestation has been active in the St. Regis
area since 1964. Heaviest tree mortality occurred during the period
1969-70. The infestation has continued to decline since 1970. Over
2 million board feet of lodgepole and ponderosa pine were killed
during the outbreak. Overstocking resulted in slow growth which
probably promoted a general weakening of the stand, making some trees
more susceptible to attack by mountain pine beetle. Two factors that
might be contributing to the decline of the outbreak are:
1. The influence of Ips spp. drying out the cambial area in
infested trees.
2. The average size of trees being attacked is less than 10
inches d.b.h., resulting in fewer beetles emerging from infested
trees than parent adults that attacked.