A qualitative analysis of the southern pine beetle's (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.) impact on wildlife, wildfire, and grazing

Qualitative models were developed to assess SPB's impact on wildlife, wildfire, and grazing. Some of the relationships in the wildlife model were quantitatively expressed, yet dollar impacts were not obtainable. The results indicated that SPB had a positive impact on woodpeckers, quail, rabbits, deer, small mammals, and other birds. No negative impacts on any of the wildlife species groups were found. These impacts were very small because of SPB's small spot size and low spot incidence. The wildfire impact assessment was strictly qualitative. The results indicated that fire rate of spread and intensity are increased on SPB spots, however, this impact is small because these increases would be restricted to SPB spots which are very small and highly dispersed. Only 64 acres of SPB spots were estimated to occur within burned areas in one year, hence, this impact was too small to consider in SPB control decisions. All of SPB's grazing impacts were qualitatively assessed due to the large amount of information available in this area. A computer program was written which estimated grazing impacts given SPB spot size and incidence, the herbage production before attack, and the residual basal area in hardwoods. The results indicated that SPB grazing impacts were also too small to be considered in SPB control decisions.

Name thesis:degree_name

M. S.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry and Forest Products

Department dc:contributor.department

Forestry and Forest Products

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1979

Author dc:creator

• Maine, John D.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10919/118884

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/118884