Journal of Environmental Biology

Effect of pine mistletoe on radial growth of crimean pine

(Pinus nigra) in Turkey

Author Details

Yilmaz Catal

Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Management Planning, Suleyman Demirel

University - 32260, Turkey

Serdar Carus

(Corresponding author)

Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Management Planning, Suleyman Demirel

University - 32260, Turkey

e-mail: scarus@orman.sdu.edu.tr

Publication Data

Paper received:

10 September 2009

Revised received:

17 March 2010

Accepted:

20 April 2010

Abstract

In this study, the influence of infection by pine mistletoe (Viscum album L. subsp. austriacum (Wiesb.) Volmann) on the radial growth of crimean pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) in Turkey was investigated. We built local residual tree-ring-width chronologies using dendrochronogical techniques. Tree ring chronologies of uninfected (control) crimean pine were used to estimate potential radial growth characteristics in the ?infected? crimean pine (light, moderate and severe infection groups). In 2005, increment cores were collected from 26 infected and 19 control dominant or co-dominant trees and annual radial growth indices from 1930-2005 were calculated for each infection group in a 14 point sampling. We compared radial growth in the uninfected trees with mean regional chronology. We found a strong decrease in radial growth in during the 1998-2005 period. The periodic average radial growth reduction (in %) from 1998 to 2005, respectively, were 0 for control, 26 for light, 39 for moderate and 63 for severe infection groups. It can be especially concluded that a severe degree of pine mistletoe attack has a negative effect on radial growth of the infected crimean pine trees.?

Key words

Pine mistletoe, Infection, Crimean pine, Dendrochronology, Growth loss

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