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Two breeding populations of the non-native Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky), a pest of broadleaf trees in its native China, were discovered in Ontario in 2003 and 2013, respectively. Both populations were eradicated by removing all trees injured by the beetle and all uninjured trees deemed at high risk of injury. We used data collected during this removal to study host selection. Signs of A. glabripennis injury were observed on 732 stems from seven (i.e., Acer, Salix, Populus, Betula, Ulmus, Fraxinus, and Tilia) of the 45 tree genera available. Complete beetle development was confirmed on only the first four of these seven genera. Most signs of injury were on the genus Acer and on trees with a diameter at 130 cm above ground ranging between 15 and 40 cm. On most trees, the lowest sign of injury was within 3 m of the ground or within 40% of tree height. Tree height explained 63% of the variance in the location of the lowest sign of injury. Initial attacks were typically near the middle of the tree and expanded both upward and downward with successive attacks over time. We discuss how these findings could improve survey efforts for A. glabripennis. Key words: Asian longhorned beetle, host availability, host range, Acer, forest invasive alien pest, urban forest pest, exotic, eradication. Deux populations reproductrices non indigenes du longicorne asiatique (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky), un ravageur des essences feuillues en Chine d'ou il est originaire, ont ete decouvertes en Ontario respectivement en 2003 et 2013. Les deux populations ont ete eradiquees en eliminant tous les arbres endommages par le longicorne et tous les arbres non endommages mais juges a risque de l'etre. Nous avons utilises les donnees collectees lors de cette intervention pour etudier la selection de l'hote. Des signes de degats causes par A. glabripennis ont ete observes sur 732 tiges appartenant a sept (c.-a-d. Acer, Salix, Populus, Betula, Ulmus, Fraxinus, et Tilia) des 45 genres d'arbres pouvant servir d'hotes. Le developpement complet de l'insecte n'a ete confirme que sur les quatre premiers de ces sept genres. La plupart des signes de degats ont ete observes sur le genre Acer et sur des arbres dont le diametre a 130 cm au-dessus du sol mesurait entre 15 et 40 cm. Sur la plupart des arbres, le signe de degat le plus bas etait situe a moins de 3 m du sol ou 40% de la hauteur de l'arbre. La hauteur de l'arbre expliquait 63% de la variance de la localisation du signe de degats le plus bas. Les attaques initiales etaient typiquement situees pres du milieu de l'arbre et s'etendaient avec le temps vers le haut et vers le bas a la suite d'attaques successives. Nous discutons de la facon dont ces resultats pourraient ameliorer les efforts d'inventaire de A. glabripennis. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : longicorne asiatique, disponibilite des hotes, aire de repartition des hotes, Acer, ravageur forestier exotique invasif, ravageur forestier en milieu urbain, exotique, eradication., Introduction A large proportion of non-native terrestrial arthropods that arrive in Canada feed on woody plants (Langor et al. 2009). One of these alien invasive species is the Asian longhorned [...]

We studied the effect of traffic intensity on local abundance of anurans. We counted dead and live frogs and toads per km and estimated frog and toad local abundances using breeding chorus intensities on similar roads through similar habitats, but with different levels of traffic intensity. After correcting for effects of date, local habitat, time, and region, our analyses demonstrated that (1) the number of dead and live frogs and toads per km decreased with increasing traffic intensity; (2) the proportion of frogs and toads dead increased with increasing traffic intensity; and (3) the frog and toad density, as measured by the chorus intensity, decreased with increasing traffic intensity. Taken together, our results indicate that traffic mortality has a significant negative effect on the local density of anurans. Our results suggest that recent increases in traffic volumes worldwide are probably contributing to declines in amphibian populations, particularly in populated areas.

We present a model that maps the net present value (NPV) associated with planting black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.) and white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seed sources across a study area centred on Ontario, Canada. The model accounts for climate change through the use of universal response functions, which (in principle) predict the growth of any seed source under any climatic conditions. We demonstrated the use of the model for two locations in northern Ontario; both species exhibited significant variation in NPV across the study area and significant gains associated with climate-smart seed movements. For example, the NPV associated with potential white pine seed sources varied by more than $1500-[ha.sup.-1] for a planting site at North Bay, Ontario. We also compared the NPV maps with climate similarity maps to examine the degree to which simple climate matching can act as a proxy for the detailed genecology relationships contained in the universal response functions. Overall, the climate similarity maps were well-correlated with the NPV maps; however, there was poor agreement regarding white pine seed deployment from North Bay, for which the two approaches identified opposite seed transfer directions. We propose that this situation can arise when species show strong adaptation to a central climatic optimum. Key words: climate change, seed movements, assisted migration, universal response function, net present value, forest economics, climate similarity, Ontario. Nous presentons un modele qui produit une carte de la valeur actualisee nette (VAN) associee a la plantation de differentes provenances d'epicea noir (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.) et de pin blanc (Pinus strobus L.) dans une aire d'etude centree sur l'Ontario, au Canada. Le modele tient compte du changement climatique en utilisant des fonctions de reponse universelle (FRU) qui, en principe, predisent la croissance de n'importe quelle provenance dans n'importe quelles conditions climatiques. Nous avons illustre l'utilisation du modele pour deux endroits dans le nord de l'Ontario; la variation de la VAN etait significative chez les deux especes a travers l'aire d'etude et il y avait des gains importants associes aux deplacements des semences en fonction du climat. Par exemple, la VAN associee aux provenances potentielles de pin blanc plantees dans une station a North Bay en Ontario variait de plus de 1500 $-[ha.sup.-1]. Nous avons aussi compare les cartes de la VAN aux cartes de similarite climatique pour verifier dans quelle mesure le fait de simplement tenir compte du climat pourrait remplacer les relations genecologiques detaillees contenues dans les FRU. Dans l'ensemble, les cartes de similarite climatique etaient bien correlees avec les cartes de la VAN. Cependant, il y avait une faible concordance concernant le deploiement des semences de pin blanc provenant de North Bay, alors que les deux approches proposaient des directions opposees pour le transfert des semences. Nous croyons que cette situation peut survenir lorsque qu'une espece montre une forte adaptation a un optimum climatique central. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : changement climatique, mouvements des semences, migration assistee, fonction de reponse universelle, valeur actualisee nette, economie forestiere, similarite climatique, Ontario., 1. Introduction Climate change is a significant concern for natural systems and the myriad of economic interests connected with them (Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) 2013). In the context [...]

In this paper we provide an overview of an integrated approach to modelling the risks and impacts associated with non-indigenous forest pest species. This is a broad and important topic given the scale of ecological and economic consequences associated with non-indigenous species in North America and elsewhere. Assessments of risks and impacts remain difficult due to complexities and interactions between the many factors driving invasions and outcomes. These processes occur across various spatial and temporal scales, and are often influenced and complicated by human activities. For each component of an ecological invasion (i.e., arrival, establishment, and spread), we review general approaches for modelling the phenomenon and identify data and knowledge gaps. With the greater availability of various spatial data and computational power we suggest the possibility of linking the models for each invasion component into a more integrated framework, thus allowing interactions and feedbacks between components to be better incorporated into risk modelling efforts. The approach is illustrated using examples from current work with Sirex noctilio Fabricius--a relatively new invasive wood wasp in eastern North America. Key words: invasive species, integrated modelling, risk assessment, impact assessment, Sirex noctilio. Les auteurs presentent le survol d'une approche integree pour la modelisation des risques et des impacts associes aux pestes foreslieres non indigenes. II s'agit d'un sujet large et important, compte lenu de l'echelle el des consequences economiques associees aux especes non indigenes, en Amerique du Nord et ailleurs. Les evaluations de risques el d'impacis demeureni diffieiles a cause de la complexity el des inieraclions avec plusieurs facteurs responsables des invasions el de leurs consequences. Ces processus s'effectuent selon differences echelles spatio-temporelles, et sont souvent influences et compliques par les activites humaines. Pour chaque composante d'une invasion ecologique (c.-a-d. arrivee, etablissement et diffusion), les auteurs passent en revue les approches generates pour la modelisation du phenomene ainsi que I'identification des donnees et les manques de connaissance. Avec la disponibilite accrue de diverses donnees spatiales et des capacites informatiques, les auteurs suggerent la possibilite de lier les modeles de chaque composante dans un cadre plus integre, permettant ainsi de mieux incorporer les interactions et les retroactions entre les composantes dans les efforts de modelisation des risques. On illustre cette approche en utilisant des exemples provenant du travail actuel sur le Sirex noctilio Fabricius, une guepe perce-bois envahissante relativement nouvelle dans l'est de l'Amerique du Nord. Mots-cles : especes envahissantes, modelisation integree, evaluation des risques, evaluation des impacts, Sirex noctilio. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The management of non-indigenous species is complex, but critical given potentially large economic and ecological impacts. Gross annual economic losses and control costs in agricultural and forestry sectors due [...]

Abstract: We established 480 remeasurement plots in plantations originally laid out by F.W. von Althen in the 1970s and 1980s for his pioneering work on hardwood planting in southern Ontario. [...]

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky) continues to pose a significant risk to deciduous forests around the world. We assess Asian longhorned beetle-related risks in eastern Canada by generating current and future climate suitability maps, import-based likelihood of introduction estimates for each urban center in our study area, and potential economic impacts in both urban and natural settings. For the current period, climatic suitability for Asian longhorned beetle was highest in southern Ontario, but was projected to expand significantly northward and eastward by midcentury. High likelihood of Asian longhorned beetle introduction was associated with large urban centers, but also smaller centers with high levels of pest-associated imports. Potential costs for the removal and replacement of Asian longhorned beetle-impacted street trees ranged from CDN$8.6 to $12.2 billion, with the exact amount and city-level ranking depending on the method used to calculate risk. Potential losses of merchantable maple (Acer) timber were estimated at CDN$1.6 billion using provincial stumpage fees and CDN$431 million annually when calculated using a combination of economic and forestry product statistics. The gross value of edible maple products, which could potentially be affected by Asian longhorned beetle, was estimated at CDN$358 million annually. These values can help inform the scale of early detection surveys, potential eradication efforts, and research budgets in the event of future Asian longhorned beetle introductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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