Spruce beetle analysis, impacts on forest structure beetle life
cycle
Overview description: Spruce Bark Beetle Studies: Over the past five years students have been studying the spruce bark beetle infestation in the Kluane region. our classes have been using the protocol developed by Federal Dept of Forestry with tow adaptations. The Prince George protocol set out a 100 m transect through an areas that had been given a walk through survey. This protocol measured all trees greater than 17.5 cm DBH within 5 meters of the line and plotted and recorded each tree by size and infestation condition. The Experiential science classes have identified infested stands, set out parallel 100 m survey transects 50 m apart and counted all trees greater than 5 cm DBH to provided a better representation of the forest ecology. Students periodically do bark samples of infected trees, identifying counts of larva, adults and pupa stage bark beetles. The data students have collected is displayed on the attached page. Our studies show results that differ with those done by others for Forestry. We have assembled more than 10 years of eight 100 m transects studies each year. |