Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Ward, Samuel F.

Committee Member

Basu, Priyadarshini Chakrabarti

Committee Member

Granger, Joshua J.

Committee Member

Harris, Jeffrey W.

Committee Member

Sullivan, Brian T.

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 6 months

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Life Sciences (Entomology)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Abstract

Coastal forests are facing threats due to rising sea levels, increased storm severity, and land use change. These factors stress trees within coastal ecosystems, potentially predisposing them to attack by insects. In North America, two insect species of concern that pose threats to for coastal forest health are the native baldcypress leafroller (BCLR), Archips goyerana Kruse (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and non-native Japanese cedar longhorned beetle (JCLB), Callidiellum rufipenne Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Baldcypress leafroller has been reported from Mississippi and Louisiana, with defoliation only reported from the latter where increased flooding has stressed host trees. Through widespread trapping efforts, I found that BCLR occurs north into Arkansas and northeast into Delaware. I conducted environmental niche modeling that indicated that climatically suitable habitat in the United States is primarily in the southeastern United States, but that climatic suitability of the southeastern United States will increase and expands northwards. For JCLB, I found that interceptions of this insect of ports of entry in North America have remained low since the implementation of ISPM-15, and that most interceptions occur on wood packaging materials from the insect’s native range. Environmental niche modeling for JCLB indicated that climatically suitable areas were more prevalent in in the northern hemisphere under current and future climatic scenarios, but that poleward shifts in suitability are likely with ongoing climate change.

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