Current Research Interests
Research projects in my laboratory have centered around ecology, population dynamics, and natural enemies of forest insect pests of pines, bottomland hardwoods and forested wetlands. Within this general research area, studies of the identification, behavior, and impact of natural enemies of pine bark beetles have been on-going since 1973. We have determined seasonal abundance, prey consumption and brood mortality for several important species and groups of bark beetle enemies. In cooperation with state and federal agencies, an integrated detection, evaluation and control program for the southern pine beetle has been implemented statewide. Recent studies are evaluating the interactions of naturally occurring resin components in pines, visual sillouettes and bark beetle host selection. The addition of a 4000 sq. ft. bark beetle research facility at the Idlewild Research Center at Clinton has provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the interaction of bark beetles, natural enemies, and beetle host selection in close proximity to the commercial forests.
In forested wetlands, we are evaluating the ecology and impact of an ecologically important defoliator pest of baldcypress. Host tree suitability, interaction with salination intrusion, natural enemies and tree stress from flooding are topics of this recent thrust. Other projects involve the evaluation of hurricane destruction to forested wetlands and its interaction with population ecology of lepidopterous defoliators plus genetic analyses of sympatric and allopatric populations of leafrollers of baldcypress.
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