6 Jan
2022
6 Jan
'22
9:29 a.m.
I have been keeping an eye on beech at Sandy Lake (Bedford) since 2017.
The Beech leaf-mining weevil has been socked in there since 2014 - see comprehensive paper
by Jonathan D. Sweeney,
2020https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00046/full
On Nov 7, 2021, still healthy beech trees , mostly younger trees stood out with the leaves
still intact and were juxtaposed with trees that had been heavily damaged by the weevil.
Perhaps the difference is related to water supply, as DW suggests.
Drought is undoubtedly a factor. The last 3-4 years have been exceptionally droughty for
many plants, even this year with more rain, I believe due to lowering of the water table
in the previous years. I have noted that witch-hazel has suffered particularly, almost no
flowering this year on more droughty sites
View some photos at http://sandylakebeech
David G PatriquinProfessor of Biology (retired)Dalhousie University
Web Stuff at versicolor.caForest Blog at nsforestnotes.caGoogle Scholar
emails sent to patriqui(a)dal.ca & davidgpatriquin(a)gmail.com go to
davidgpatriquin(a)yahoo.ca
On Wednesday, January 5, 2022, 07:18:09 p.m. AST, David Webster
<dwebster(a)glinx.com> wrote:
Thanks Peter and Burkhard for these updates.
Based on what I saw in the Kentville area in 2021, and drawing from memory, a key
factor may be continuity of soil water supply over time within the rooting zone.
Reviewing the Kentville observations; I walked up Beech Hill Road, which usually has
much water in wheel ruts until late summer and was astonished to find it mostly dry and
bone dry as Beech became more common and at the height of land. All Beech at the height of
land except saplings less than 6'? high were dead.
On the other hand, leaves on the numerous small Beech in my North Alton woodlot (faces
North) showed little or no discoloration all summer (Morristown sandy loam {grows Wire
Birch up to 13" perhaps 16" in diameter}). In addition to high water holding
capacity of soil there, the trees also are watered by downhill seepage.
On another site SE of Palmeter subdivision, on a North facing slope Beech up to est.
14" diameter at stump and est. 100' tall had slight discoloration (perhaps wind
damage) and seedlings est. 10-29' tall had no leaf discoration.
On a third site, north facing seepy slope which feeds a small brook which I have seen
off and on since 1960 always with some water Beech from est. 2" to 8" at ground
level have continued to look fine.
On a fourth site, my Pine woods in Cambridge (Cornwallis Sandy Loam) I was surprised
to see a young Beech 10 to 15' tall growing well. The tilled land up slope is
irrigated so there may be some sub-irrigation.
So I am convinced that continuity of soil moisture supply is a key factor which allows
Beech to shrug off moderate leaf damage by this insect.
So I will dust off a suggestion I made last year; there is an excellent soil survey
map of NS issued roughly about 1980 which would help with respect to wild Beech. In urban
residential areas soil maps may mislead due to crap fill hauled in.
The "Geotome" (aka shovel) works also.
And guidelines; a root can not grow into dry soil, capillary rise can move water
upward but only if there is continuity with depth of fine soil, feeder roots typically die
over the dormant season and can grow again in spring only if soil moisture is adequate.
Unless there are barriers to downward movement water moves straight down and not sideways.
Water extraction by a deciduous tree starts near the surface and near the trunk and
proceeds outward and downward.
In closing, one more famous line of advice: "You can see a lot by looking"
Dave
On 1/5/2022 12:07 PM, Burkhard Plache wrote:
At Long Lake Prov. Park (Halifax), the majority (>3/4) of Beeches had most leaves
eaten away or severely damaged. Some trees were nearly bare. Unaffected trees were mostly
isolated from other beeches, typically young, scattered trees.
In a forested area in Cape Breton (Lime Hills), nearly all (>95%) of the beech trees
in the forests were dying or dead. Those were beech dominated hardwood forests (other
dominant species were yellow birch and sugar maple), and the area was some 1 km from the
next road (i.e., spread of the miner was unlikely by people).
I think the leaf miners have been around for at least 5 years. I think to assess the
impact, one would have to choose a sample area, and do a bit of counting (# trees in area
/ # of trees affected / # of trees healthy) and follow for a few years.
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 5:10 AM David Webster <dwebster(a)glinx.com> wrote:
Dear All,
Early in 2021 there was concern about a Beech tree leaf miner. Can
someone tell me how that ended.?
In the Kentville area, except for one patch of trees in a location
normally wet year round and entirely dependent upon rainfall but bone
dry when I walked to it,they have fared well.
Dave
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