Dr. Baird

The objective of the study is to continue collecting baseline data of bark and litter microfungi present on healthy and damaged American beech, Fraser fir, and eastern hemlock being devastated by exotic disease/insect pests in the GSMNP.   In 2003, a total of 1440 bark samples (480 per species) with over 2,195 mycobiota isolates were obtained during three sampling dates.   From the infected/infested and healthy tree bark, the most commonly isolated Phylum was the Fungi Imperfecti at 99%, 92.2% and 98.5% for American beech, Fraser fir, and eastern hemlock, respectively.   A total of 30 genera (~70 species) were identified from all American beech bark samples, 24 for Fraser fir, and 25 for eastern hemlock.   In 2004, the same three tree species will be sampled in May, July, and September from different locations in GSMNP.   Differing from 2003, new selective isolation media will be employed so that other species of fungi can be obtained.

Principal Investigator

PI Name:  Dr. Richard E. Baird

PI Organization:  Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University

Co-investigator #1

Co-PI Name:  Dr. Mark T. Windham

Co-PI Organization:  Entomology and Plant Pathology Dept., University of Tennessee

Literature References: 

A Molecular Clone and Culture Inventory of the Root Fungal Community Associated with Eastern Hemlock in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Richard Baird, C. Elizabeth Stokes, Alicia Wood-Jones, Clarence Watson, Mark Alexander, Glenn Taylor, Kristine Johnson, Paul Threadgill, and Susan Diehl

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 13, Special Issue 6 (2014): 219–237