The Effects of Fire onThe Effects of Fire onGround Beetle AssemblagesGround Beetle Assemblages

and Herbivory of and Herbivory of Kalmia latifolia Kalmia latifolia in in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Areathe Linville Gorge Wilderness Area

Tracy MyhalykTracy MyhalykDr. Ray S. WilliamsDr. Ray S. Williams

Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University

BackgroundBackground

Study AreaStudy Area Linville Gorge Linville Gorge

Wilderness AreaWilderness Area– Burke County, Pisgah Burke County, Pisgah

National ForestNational Forest– Wilderness Act of 1964Wilderness Act of 1964– Grand Canyon of NCGrand Canyon of NC– 12,000 acres 12,000 acres – Spared loggingSpared logging– Fire suppressedFire suppressed

for 60+ yearsfor 60+ years– November 2000 fireNovember 2000 fire

Experimental DesignExperimental Design

16 Plots 30-m x 30-m16 Plots 30-m x 30-m– 8 Burned and 8 Unburned8 Burned and 8 Unburned

– Similar vegetation,Similar vegetation,

slope, and aspectslope, and aspect

– 0.8 km between burned0.8 km between burned

and unburned sitesand unburned sites

Burned Unburned

0.8 km

BURNEDSITE

UNBURNEDSITE

Pin

chin

Tra

il

Kistler Memorial Highway

MethodsMethods

Focus of ResearchFocus of Research

Ground-dwelling Ground-dwelling arthropod collectionsarthropod collections

Herbivory of Herbivory of K. latifoliaK. latifolia

Percent nitrogenPercent nitrogen

of of K. latifoliaK. latifolia

Arthropod CollectionsArthropod Collections

Pitfall Traps - 4 per plotPitfall Traps - 4 per plot– Jun 2003 (8), Aug 2003 (16), andJun 2003 (8), Aug 2003 (16), and

Oct 2003 (16)Oct 2003 (16)– Traps opened for 5 nightsTraps opened for 5 nights

All arthropods sortedAll arthropods sorted

and quantifiedand quantified

Herbivory of Herbivory of Kalmia latifoliaKalmia latifolia

45-50 leaves per plot45-50 leaves per plot Leaf collection dates Leaf collection dates (Total # plots)(Total # plots)

– Oct 2002 (8)Oct 2002 (8)– Jun 2003 (16)Jun 2003 (16)– Oct 2003 (16)Oct 2003 (16)

Percent leafPercent leaf

area missingarea missing

(Horsfall and Barratt 1945)(Horsfall and Barratt 1945)

## Percent HerbivoryPercent Herbivory

11 0 %0 %

22 1-6 %1-6 %

33 7-25 %7-25 %

44 26-50 %26-50 %

55 51-75 %51-75 %

66 76-99 %76-99 %

Percent Nitrogen of Percent Nitrogen of Kalmia latifoliaKalmia latifolia

3 of 6 trees/plot3 of 6 trees/plot

2 leaves/age2 leaves/age

Total C:NTotal C:N

Postfire Leaf AgesPostfire Leaf Agesof of Kalmia latifoliaKalmia latifolia

Herbivory CollectionsHerbivory Collections– Oct 2002 - age 2Oct 2002 - age 2– Jun 2003 - age 2 and age 3Jun 2003 - age 2 and age 3– Oct 2003 - age 3Oct 2003 - age 3

Percent nitrogenPercent nitrogen

CollectionsCollections– Oct 2002 - age 1Oct 2002 - age 1– Jun 2003 - age 2Jun 2003 - age 2– Oct 2003 - age 3Oct 2003 - age 3

ResultsResults

Sorted and quantifiedSorted and quantified– Ants (Hymenoptera)Ants (Hymenoptera)– Crickets (Orthoptera)Crickets (Orthoptera)– Spiders (Araneae)Spiders (Araneae)– Beetles (Coleoptera)Beetles (Coleoptera)

Beetles identified to family levelBeetles identified to family level

Beetle family level abundanceBeetle family level abundance

Arthropod Collections

Abundance of all arthropodsAbundance of all arthropods CollectionsCollections

– June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003* = p<0.05* = p<0.05

Mean Abundance of All Arthropods per Collection

*

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Jun-03 Aug-03 Oct-03

Mea

n A

bu

nd

ance

Burned

Unburned

Abundance of ants, crickets, and spidersAbundance of ants, crickets, and spiders CollectionsCollections

– June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003* = p<0.05* = p<0.05

Mean Abundance of Ants, Crickets, andSpiders per Collection

*

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Jun-03 Aug-03 Oct-03

Mea

n A

bu

nd

ance

Burned

Unburned

Abundance of beetlesAbundance of beetles CollectionsCollections

– June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003June 2003, August 2003, and October 2003* = p<0.05* = p<0.05

Mean Abundance of Beetles per Collection

*

*

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Jun-03 Aug-03 Oct-03

Me

an

Ab

un

da

nc

e

Burned

Unburned

Herbivory of Herbivory of K. latifoliaK. latifolia CollectionsCollections

– October 2002 (Age 2)October 2002 (Age 2)– June 2003 (Age 2 and 3)June 2003 (Age 2 and 3)– October 2003 (Age 3)October 2003 (Age 3)

* = p<0.05* = p<0.05

Percent Means of Herbivory per Collection

**

**

0

5

10

15

20

25

Oct-02 - Age 2 Jun-03 - Age 2 Jun-03 - Age 3 Oct-03 - Age 3

Mea

n P

erce

nt

Burned

Unburned

Percent nitrogen of Percent nitrogen of K. latifoliaK. latifolia CollectionsCollections

– October 2002 (Age 1)October 2002 (Age 1)– June 2003 (Age 2)June 2003 (Age 2)– October 2003 (Age 3)October 2003 (Age 3)

* = * = p<0.05p<0.05

Percent Means of Nitrogen per Collection

*

**

0.00.20.40.60.81.01.21.41.61.8

Oct-02 - Age 1 Jun-03 - Age 2 Oct-03 - Age 3

Mea

n P

erce

nt

Burned

Unburned

ConclusionsConclusions

Leaf Nitrogen and HerbivoryLeaf Nitrogen and Herbivory

Higher nitrogen in Higher nitrogen in K. latifolia K. latifolia leaves in leaves in burned plots burned plots

Higher herbivory of Higher herbivory of K. latifolia K. latifolia leaves in leaves in burned plotsburned plots

Arthropod AbundanceArthropod Abundance

Higher total arthropod abundance in Higher total arthropod abundance in burned plotsburned plots

Higher ground beetle abundance in Higher ground beetle abundance in

burned plotsburned plots

Additional ResearchAdditional Research Beetle diversity, richness, and evennessBeetle diversity, richness, and evenness Phytochemistry of Phytochemistry of K. latifoliaK. latifolia

– Phenolics assay (% tannins)Phenolics assay (% tannins)– Bradford assay (soluble proteins)Bradford assay (soluble proteins)

C:N of leaf and humus layersC:N of leaf and humus layers Soil moistureSoil moisture Ground temperatureGround temperature

– Temperature sensors placed in all 16 plotsTemperature sensors placed in all 16 plots Fire intensityFire intensity

– 2.5 cm soil core to measure humus depth2.5 cm soil core to measure humus depth

Acknowledgements

Thesis committeeThesis committee– Dr. Ray S. WilliamsDr. Ray S. Williams– Dr. Howard S. NeufeldDr. Howard S. Neufeld– Dr. Michael WindelspechtDr. Michael Windelspecht

FundingFunding– Graduate StudentGraduate Student

Association SenateAssociation Senate– Biology Graduate Student Biology Graduate Student

AssociationAssociation

Field Research TeamField Research Team– Shay DumasShay Dumas– Jim SobierajJim Sobieraj– Trevor FrickTrevor Frick– Emily ParisherEmily Parisher– Scott TaylorScott Taylor– Tonya MooreTonya Moore– Kevin LyonKevin Lyon– Courtney CampanyCourtney Campany– Courtney OliveCourtney Olive