Ecological Impact of American Chestnut Hybrid Restoration on Invertebrate Communities Above- and Belowground

The cross-hybridization of American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) with Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Bl.) is a promising strategy for restoring a blight-resistant strain of this keystone species to the Appalachian mountains. To assess the ecological impacts of hybridization on...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Forests Vol. 15; no. 7; p. 1159
Main Authors:	Jaq Reed, Evan Hausler, Abigail Levinson, Jonathan Horton, Denis S. Willett, Camila C. Filgueiras
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 01-07-2024
Subjects:	American chestnut Chinese chestnut entomopathogenic nematodes population dynamics soil arthropods
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	The cross-hybridization of American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) with Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Bl.) is a promising strategy for restoring a blight-resistant strain of this keystone species to the Appalachian mountains. To assess the ecological impacts of hybridization on invertebrate communities, we conducted a study across chestnut plots with varying degrees of hybridization (75%, 94%, or 100% American chestnut). Our findings indicate American chestnut hybridization impacted invertebrate communities above- and belowground. Aboveground insect community composition, insect herbivory, gall infestation, and belowground invertebrate diversity were all altered. While some of these differences could be explained by different growth habits or environmental differences, stark differences in Asian chestnut gall wasp infestation (Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu.) suggest a genetic component. These results suggest that chestnut hybridization, and particularly expanded restoration efforts using chestnut hybrids, could impact invertebrate communities above- and belowground in addition to pest dynamics. Understanding these effects is crucial for successful chestnut restoration and ecosystem management.
ISSN:	1999-4907
DOI:	10.3390/f15071159