White Pine Decline: a Case Study from Virginia Landscapes

Abstract

Various problems of Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) , primarily in the forest situation, have been observed and examined over the last 80 or so years. These have included causal agents from both biotic (fungi, insects, etc.) and abiotic (gaseous, liquid and solid toxicants) classes; abundant controversy in many cases exists on accurate documentation of the cause and effect relationships. In this study, we report the results of findings made on abiotic factors strongly associated with declining and dying white pine primarily on human-altered sites; these include high soil pH, high soil clay content, shallow and restrictive root growth zones, compacted soils and disturbed soil horizons that impede lateral and vertical water movement. Additional biotic and abiotic factors were, in some cases, associated with declining trees.