Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Robert Marquis
Final Abstract for URS Program
Invasive species are non-native species whose presence is already or is likely to cause harm to the local ecosystem or economy, or human, animal, and plant health (Beck et al, 2006, p.415). The invasive Asiatic oak weevil is the primary leaf-feeding insect on oak trees in the Missouri Ozarks with larvae feeding on the roots of trees and the adults on the leaves (Marquis and Bhatti-Catano, 2017). The goal of this study was to determine if prescribed burns lower the abundance of adult and larval weevils. Eight pairs of 200 m x 200 m plots in the oak-hickory forest at the Tyson Research Station near Eureka, MO were used for the experimental environment. One of each plot pairs were surface-burned in early Spring 2018. In June 2018, mesh emergence traps with jars secured on top were placed under four white and four black oak trees on each plot. From late June-August 2018 the weevils were counted as they emerged and analyzed to determine effects of the sampling date, tree species, aspect, slope, weight, and ultimately weevil density in burned versus unburned plots. Notable differences in the density of weevils on burned vs. unburned plots were observed in favor of the hypothesis. These findings support the need for prescribed fire in the management of Missouri’s forests. References Beck, G. K. Zimmerman, J.D. Schardt, J. Stone, R.R. Lukens, S. Reichard, J. Randall, A.A. Cangelosi, D. Cooper, and J.P. Thompson. 2006. Invasive Species Defined in a Policy Context: Recommendations from the Federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee. Invasive Plant Science and Management 1(4):414-421. Marquis, R. J., & Bhatti-Catano, L. (2017). Impacts of the Asiatic oak weevil (Cyrtepistomus castaneus) on the growth and survivorship of black oak (Quercus velutina) seedlings. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from https://tyson.wustl.edu/allprojects/2017/10/4/impacts of-the-asiatic-oak-weevil-icyrtepistomus-castaneusi-on-the-growth-and-survivorship-of black-oak-iquercus-velutinai-seedlings
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
4-26-2019