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Effect of Long-Term Forest Fertilization on Scots Pine Xylem Quality and Wood Borer Performance

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Abstract

We tested whether changes in long-term nutrient availability would affect the xylem quality and characteristics of Scots pine trees as a food source for the larvae of the xylophagous wood borer Hylotrupes bajulus L. (Cerambycidae). We looked for an effect of host plant growth and xylem structural traits on H. bajulus larval performance, and looked for delayed effects of long-term forest fertilization on xylem chemical quality. In general, larval performance was dependent on larval developmental stage. However, the growth of larvae also varied with host plant quality (increases in the concentration of nitrogen and carbon-based secondary compounds of xylem were correlated with a decrease in the larval growth rate). The greater annual growth of trees reduced tracheid length and correlated positively with second-instar H. bajulus growth rate. This is consistent with the hypothesis that intrinsic growth patterns of host plants influence the development of the xylophagous wood borer H. bajulus.

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Acknowledgments

The Graduate School in Forest Sciences and The Academy of Finland (Research Council for Biosciences and Environment, projects 45066 and 43159) have financially supported this research. We thank the Finnish Forest Research Institute and Raino Lievonen for organizing the felling of trees and transportation of the xylem disks. We thank also Terhi Vuorinen, Jaana Rissanen, and Juhani Tarhanen for helping in the chemical analysis and Ewen MacDonald for revising the language of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Juha Heijari, Anne-Marja Nerg, Pirjo Kainulainen & Jarmo K. Holopainen

  2. The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Helsinki Unit, Unioninkatu 40A, 00170, Helsinki, Finland

    Hannu Raitio

  3. Bundesforschungsanstalt für Forst- und Holzwirtschaft, Institut für Holzbiologie und Holzschutz, Postfach 800209, 21002, Hamburg, Germany

    Uwe Noldt

  4. Parkano Research Station, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, 39700, Parkano, Finland

    Teuvo Levula

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  1. Juha Heijari
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  2. Anne-Marja Nerg
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  3. Pirjo Kainulainen
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  4. Uwe Noldt
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  5. Teuvo Levula
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  6. Hannu Raitio
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  7. Jarmo K. Holopainen
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Correspondence to Juha Heijari.

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Heijari, J., Nerg, AM., Kainulainen, P. et al. Effect of Long-Term Forest Fertilization on Scots Pine Xylem Quality and Wood Borer Performance. J Chem Ecol 34, 26–31 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9395-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9395-x

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