Woodboring Beetle (Buprestidae, Cerambycidae) Responses to Hurricane Michael in Variously Damaged Southeastern US Pine Plantations

Abstract

In October 2018, catastrophic Hurricane Michael caused $1.7 billion in damage to standing timber in Florida, USA. To inform recovery efforts, varying levels of damaged (low, moderate, and high) slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm) stands were sampled for woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae; Cerambycidae). These beetles generally colonize stressed and damaged trees, and their larval tunneling activities reduce the value of timber salvaged post disturbance. From 2019 to 2020, 3,810 adults of 32 species were trapped. Acanthocinus obsoletus Olivier and Monochamus sp. complex (M. titillator Fabricius; M. carolinensis Olivier) comprised 86% of all catches. Approximately 50% and 60% more woodborers, especially Monochamus sp., were trapped in moderate-damage stands in 2019 than in high- and low-damage stands, respectively. This trend was not present in 2020. From 2019 to 2020, total catches increased by ~29%, reflected by increases in Monochamus sp. and Xylotrechus sagittatus Germar. In 2019, high-damage stands had the greatest species richness, followed by low- and moderate-damage stands. Species composition in 2019 did not differ among variously damaged stands, but was more heterogeneous in low-damage than high-damage stands in 2020. Results indicate that timely salvage harvesting of moderate- and high-damage stands after catastrophic wind disturbances may lower the economic impacts by subcortical woodboring beetles.