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Assessment Of Factors Affecting Establishment Of Biological Control Agents Of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid On Eastern Hemlock In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Abdul Hakeem
Doctoral Dissertations
Eastern hemlock in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) is threatened by hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). To manage this invasive pest in GRSM, ca. 550,000 Sasajiscymnus tsugae (Sasaji and McClure) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and 7,857 Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) have been released. Limited information is available on their establishment in GRSM. To fill this gap, a study was initiated to assess establishment of these predators and their impact on hemlock health. To determine factors affecting establishment of these predators, 65 release sites were sampled from 2008 to 2012. Several factors were evaluated for their …