Dendroclimatic Response of Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Affected by Shoot Blight Caused by Diplodia pinea

The overall objective of our study was to examine the influence of climatic factors and tree-based competition on the radial growth of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forests affected by the fungal pathogen, Diplodia pinea. Our study utilized dendroclimatic techniques to examine how past annual diameter growth can be influenced by the historical climate of the region. Twenty jack pine sites were sampled in Michigan within the Upper Peninsula (UP) and the Lower Peninsula (LP) region. Furthermore, two condition levels of forest health (D. pinea-affected vs. healthy reference stands) were considered between two levels of stand density (i.e., high vs. low density). The relationships between radial growth and climate identified in this study indicated that jack pine radial growth was typically affected by the climatic moisture index, whereas the response to temperature variables was weak to non-existent. In the Upper Peninsula region, crown damage likely sustained during harsh winters could have made jack pine stands prone to D. pinea by facilitating a point of entry for infection; furthermore, higher-density stands infected by D. pinea were influenced by moisture stress that occurred during the summer of the prior year. In the LP region, regardless of stand density, D. pinea was sensitive to moisture stress in the summer of the prior growing season; furthermore, negative relationships with precipitation in the spring may have improved spore dispersion in D. pinea-affected stands. Overall, our study provides improved understanding of the interactive role of climatic stress and forest pathogens on jack pine productivity.