Date of Award
2018
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biological and Environmental Sciences (MSBES)
Specialization
Ecology and Ecosystem Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Evan L. Preisser
Abstract
Herbivores can have a significant impact on plant host development. While altered plant development most commonly results from defoliation, some causes are more cryptic. Effects on development can be difficult to detect in long-lived woody plant species. Hemlock woolly adelgid is a piercing-sucking herbivore that has been previously been observed to have substantial effects on eastern hemlock. Observations of bud break were carried out on a three-day-on, one-day-off rotation from April through May in 2016 and 2017. We found that hemlock woolly adelgid delayed bud break in eastern hemlock. Our findings suggest that piercing-sucking herbivores can also significantly affect the early development of long-lived woody plant species.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Whitney, Elizabeth, "Impact of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Elongate Hemlock Scale on Early Seasonal Development of Eastern Hemlock" (2018). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 1203.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/1203