Microfungi of American Beech, Fraser Fir, and Eastern Hemlock forests in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Petersen (1978), Stephenson, et al., (2001), and Raja and Shearer (unpublished data) reported on fungi identified from the GSMNP. The list shown by Petersen (1978) covered previous reports or collections of fungi over many years. The other two studies identified fungal taxa from specific habitats. However, no comprehensive studies of microfungi have ever been inventoried from American beech, Fraser fir and eastern hemlock stands in GSMNP being devastated by exotic disease and/or insects. For Fraser fir, only 10-20% of the mature trees are estimated to be left in the higher elevation spruce-fir forests following 20 years of infestation by Balsam woolly adelgid. American beech are currenly being attached by the fungal pathogen Nectria coccinea var. faginata (beech bark disease) with over 50% losses have occurred. More recently, hemlock woolly adelgid has entered the GSMNP and many areas throughout the park are currently becoming infested with heavy losses expect.  Because of the urgency in conducting inventory work due to the potential loss of the three tree species, the follow was proposed:

Objective Of Study :

Develop baseline data of bark microfungi present on healthy and damaged American beech, Fraser fir, and eastern hemlock being devastated by exotic disease/insect pests in the GSMNP.