Interagency Whitebark Pine Health Monitoring Program for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Cooperating Organizations: USDA Forest Service Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (GYCC) Forest Health Protection USDI National Park Service Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network Yellowstone National Park Grand Teton National Park John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway USDI Geological Survey Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Montana State University Department of Mathematical Sciences US Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperating Organizations: USDA Forest Service Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (GYCC) Forest Health Protection USDI National Park Service Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network Yellowstone National Park Grand Teton National Park John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway USDI Geological Survey Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Montana State University Department of Mathematical Sciences US Fish and Wildlife Service

Interagency Whitebark Pine Health Monitoring Program for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Acknowledgements and Credits: USDI National Park Service Dan Reinhart Erin Shanahan Rob Daley Rachel Simons John Fothergill USDI Geological Survey Shannon Podruzny Jonathan Ball Acknowledgements and Credits: USDI National Park Service Dan Reinhart Erin Shanahan Rob Daley Rachel Simons John Fothergill USDI Geological Survey Shannon Podruzny Jonathan Ball

“Keystone” species of the subalpine zone Valuable food source for a variety of wildlife species (more than 17 species) Major predictor of grizzly bear annual survival and reproduction Alters microclimates in the harsh subalpine zone Whitebark Pine Why is whitebark pine a vital sign for the Greater Yellowstone Network Whitebark Pine Why is whitebark pine a vital sign for the Greater Yellowstone Network

To estimate the proportion of whitebark pine trees >1.4 m within the GYE infected with white pine blister rust and how it changes over time. To determine the relative severity of white pine blister rust infection in trees > 1.4 m in height. To estimate survival of individual whitebark pine trees > 1.4 m in height taking into account mountain pine beetle and blister rust infection. Whitebark Pine Monitoring Metrics Proportion of trees with blister rust Relative severity of infection Infection is indicated by a single canker or 3 canker indicators at the same spot Severity is indicated by the number and location (truck or branch) blister rust cankers SurvivalIndicated by lack of green needles Flagging Swelling Chewing Whitebark Pine Monitoring Objectives Whitebark Pine Monitoring Objectives

Peer Reviewed and approved by IMR I&M coordinator in 2007 Greater Yellowstone Whitebark Pine Monitoring Working Group Interagency Whitebark Pine Monitoring Protocol for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Version 1.0. Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee, Bozeman, MT. Whitebark Pine Protocol Status Whitebark Pine Protocol Status Protocols are a key component of quality assurance helping to ensure that changes detected are actually occurring in nature and not simply a result of measurement differences

Target population All whitebark pine in the GYE Sample frame Stratified inside & outside the Grizzly Bear PCA Sampling units Stands 2.5 hectares or larger Target population All whitebark pine in the GYE Sample frame Stratified inside & outside the Grizzly Bear PCA Sampling units Stands 2.5 hectares or larger Probabilistic sample design Whitebark Pine Monitoring background Whitebark Pine Monitoring background

150 stands surveyed 176 permanent transects 4,774 trees tagged Over 4000 miles hiked 150 stands surveyed 176 permanent transects 4,774 trees tagged Over 4000 miles hiked Plot establishment Whitebark Pine Monitoring background Whitebark Pine Monitoring background

Whitebark Pine Monitoring background Whitebark Pine Monitoring background Representative of the population Estimates of blister rust infection can be calculated annually Can accommodate a split panel design Representative of the population Estimates of blister rust infection can be calculated annually Can accommodate a split panel design Panel Design

Table 1. Summary statistics for Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Whitebark Pine Status of blister rust in the GY E Whitebark Pine Status of blister rust in the GY E First time ecosystem wide results

Proportion of trees with blister rust is.20 Ratio of trees with blister rust infection varies across ecosystem 84% of the cankers are on branches High levels of mountain pine beetle Proportion of trees with blister rust is.20 Ratio of trees with blister rust infection varies across ecosystem 84% of the cankers are on branches High levels of mountain pine beetle Ratio of trees with blister rust infection Whitebark Pine Status of blister rust Whitebark Pine Status of blister rust

Minor protocol amendment to include: MPB indicators Other agents contributing to mortality (fire, mechanical damage) Multi-agency training with Forest Health Protection entomologist held June 23 In 2008 the USGS added 2- person crew to assist with transect monitoring Minor protocol amendment to include: MPB indicators Other agents contributing to mortality (fire, mechanical damage) Multi-agency training with Forest Health Protection entomologist held June 23 In 2008 the USGS added 2- person crew to assist with transect monitoring Whitebark Pine Status of Mountain pine beetle Whitebark Pine Status of Mountain pine beetle Objective: to estimate survival of whitebark pine trees > 1.4 m in height taking into account mountain pine beetle, etc.

Proposed analysis of 2008 data What proportion of the whitebark pine sample is now dead or recently dead? Of the dead, what proportion were burned or appeared killed by MPB or Blister rust? Examine the tree characteristics (e.g. DBH) of the dead trees Proposed analysis of 2008 data What proportion of the whitebark pine sample is now dead or recently dead? Of the dead, what proportion were burned or appeared killed by MPB or Blister rust? Examine the tree characteristics (e.g. DBH) of the dead trees Whitebark Pine Mountain pine beetle Whitebark Pine Mountain pine beetle

Observer Variability Data analysis (Huang 2006) show that : detection of blister rust cankers is different among observers A tendency toward increasing agreement over time. This indicates that training and experience may play a key role in obtaining consistent results. Whitebark Pine Residual Issues Whitebark Pine Residual Issues

Whitebark Pine Next steps Whitebark Pine Next steps 1.Inclusion of a “recruitment” objective Estimate the number of juvenile WbP trees that become cone producing trees Student driven research component using existing data set Design field & data analysis methods May need to modify sample frame to include recently burned stands (20 years or less) 1.Inclusion of a “recruitment” objective Estimate the number of juvenile WbP trees that become cone producing trees Student driven research component using existing data set Design field & data analysis methods May need to modify sample frame to include recently burned stands (20 years or less)

Whitebark Pine Next steps Whitebark Pine Next steps 1.IGBST applied for funding through the USGS Status & Trend program Integrated analysis, modeling, and synthesis of the impacts of blister rust and mountain pine beetle mortality to whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 2.Analysis of 2008 data Report to be published with IGBST annual report 3. In 2009, continue with higher frequency panel revisits to document mortality from Mountain Pine Beetle 1.IGBST applied for funding through the USGS Status & Trend program Integrated analysis, modeling, and synthesis of the impacts of blister rust and mountain pine beetle mortality to whitebark pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 2.Analysis of 2008 data Report to be published with IGBST annual report 3. In 2009, continue with higher frequency panel revisits to document mortality from Mountain Pine Beetle

Greater Yellowstone Network Greater Yellowstone Science Learning Center (GYSLC): Whitebark Pine topic page from GYSLC: etation/whitebarkpinehttp:// etation/whitebarkpine Annual reports from the Interagency Whitebark Pine Monitoring Program etation/whitebarkpine/projects/healthmonitoring etation/whitebarkpine/projects/healthmonitoring 9/ID660051_GYE_WBP_2007_Annual_Report.pdf Main Greater Yellowstone Network: