Conservation Biology Laboratory 9

Whitebark Pine Communities: Exotic Introduction and Biodiversity

The book, Whitebark Pine Communities: Ecology and Restoration, provides us with some state of the art management studies (as well as a nice demonstration of ecological concepts) on, perhaps, one of the hottest issues facing managers in the northern Rocky Mountains today. The potential loss of an important keystone species, Pinus albicaulis, across wide areas of alpine habitat could have significant ecological ramifactions. The whole structure of the alpine community could be effected by damage to whitebark pine populations. You will see that whitebark pine trees are threatened as a result of a variety of issues (beetle infestation, exotic disease introduction, fire suppression and, perhaps, management policies themselves).

Please read Chapters 10 and 12 in Whitebark Pine Communities: Ecology and Restoration.

Please answer the following questions on Chapters 10 and 12 (there are 10 questions):

Laboratory 9

1. What group other than the "white pines" is a host for blister rust?

2. Where was blister rust first observed? What species were involved?

3. When was blister rust introduced in North America? How did this happen?

4. What has been done to control the spread of blister rust? What other alternatives are there?

5. Summarize the "keystone functions" of the whitebark pine.

6. Give 3 likely consequences of the decline of whitebark pine numbers on higher elevation sites (hint: see p. 251):

7. What is predicted to happen to nutcracker populations? What tree seeds will the nutcrackers use as whitebark pine populations diminish? How will this effect whitebark pine seed

Caches?

8. Which pine species are "bird-dispersed"? Which pine species are "wind dispersed"? Why is this knowledge important in understanding whitebark pine tree dispersal?

9. What are the four "extinction vortices" that can lead to extinction of species? Which vortices are operable for whitebark pine populations now?

10. What should be done now to save the whitebark pine from extinction?