Edge effects of pinus nigra forests on abundance and body lenght of ips sexdentatus

Abstract

Ips sexdentatus (Börner, 1776) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is one of the most devastating pests of coniferous forests in Turkey. The pest not only kills individual host trees, but also it can outbreak readily and cause great damage under favorable conditions. Distribution and damage of this pest vary depending on some biotic and abiotic factors (e.g. edge effect, climatic factors, and host plant). The present study investigated the edge effect of Pinus nigra Arnold stands on the population level and the body length of I. sexdentatus. For this purpose, edge effects of P. nigra forests on I. sexdentatus were studied at Kastamonu Regional Directorate of State Forests located in northwestern black sea region of Turkey in the years 2012-2013. Three factors (forest interior, forest edge, and forest exterior) were used to test the effects of forest edges on the abundance and body length of I. sexdentatus. A number of five study sites were selected to deploy Lindgren funnel-type pheromone traps. Fifteenunit traps baited with commercial pheromone Ipssex were set in 5 replicate blocks of three traps per block. The results of the study were as follows: 1) Double bark thicknesses and diameter of the trees along the forest edges were significantly higher than those in forest interior; 2) The number of I. sexdentatus captured from forest outside and forest edge was significantly higher than those in forest interior; 3) Body length of I. sexdentatus was significantly higher on trees along the forest edges than those in forest interior.