Lynne K. Rieske-Kinney
Professor, Forest Entomology
University
of Kentucky
Department
of Entomology
(adjunct appointment in Department of Forestry)
Professor,
Associate Professor,
Assistant Professor,
PhD University of Wisconsin (1995)
|
· Mailing address:
Department of Entomology S-225 Ag North |
· Office/Lab:
217
Animal Pathology (859) 257-1167; (859) 323-1120 (fax); |
My lab group uses field and laboratory approaches to examine behavioral and ecological questions in forest systems in the context of herbivore-plant relations, feeding guild interactions, and interactions among plant stressors. My long-term ecological research focuses on forest regeneration, restoration, and sustainability. Specific projects investigate how disturbance forces directly and indirectly impact herbivore interactions and herbivore success, arthropod abundance, and forest community dynamics. Regeneration of forest stands following disturbance is critical to maintaining the productivity and sustainability of our forests. While I am investigating the use of prescribed fire as a tool for forest regeneration, additional emphasis includes conifer regeneration following catastrophic disturbance, and restoration of American chestnut following blight. The field component of my program has involved research throughout the Daniel Boone National Forest, Berea Forest, UK’s Robinson Forest, and
Tom Coleman, PhD Research Assistant, 2006 (projected). “Widespread forest disturbance from southern pine beetle caused mortality and associated management: Effects on vegetation composition and succession.” (tomwcoleman@yahoo.com)
W. Rodney Cooper, PhD Research Assistant, 2007 (projected). “Induced defensive responses in chestnut: Protection against generalist and specialist herbivores.” (wcooper@uky.edu)
Luke Dodd, PhD Research Assistant, arriving summer 2006. “
Angela Jencks, M.S. Research Assistant, arriving summer 2006. “Modeling vegetation succession in shortleaf pine forests of the Cumberland Platueau following catastrophic disturbance.” (ajencks7@hotmail.com)
Aerin Land, MS Research Assistant, 2006 (projected). “Natural and artificial regeneration of shortleaf pine following catastrophic disturbance from southern pine beetle.” (adland0@uky.edu)
·
Former
graduate students
Beth Choate, MS 2005. “Age-specific mortality and dispersal patterns of the eastern tent caterpillar in the bluegrass region.” (bethachoate@yahoo.com)
Shelly Kellogg, MS 2004. “Chestnut blight resistance alters herbivore susceptibility.” (kellogg@uky.edu)
Leslie Foss, MS 2002. “Oak foliar chemistry and galling impact herbivore performance.”
Heather Housman, MS (Forestry), 2001. “Effects of prescribed fire on foliar chemistry and suitability for an insect herbivore.”
Aaron S. Adams, MS, 2000. “Interactions between prescribed fire and herbivory: Effects on oak regeneration.” (aaron1.adams@umontana.edu)
·
Other
lab associates:
Preyanut Phumkhem, Neil Wilson, Ryan Readnower, Brandon Taylor, Nathan Kunze, Katie Russell, Lyle Buss, Anne Varielle, Rebecca Trout, Alexandre Diaz, Christine Gur, Jason McClure, Sima Maiti, Joseph Falco, Roger Stillwell, Jason Templin, Jeremy King.
· Teaching Responsibilities
Invasive Species Biology, ENT/FOR/BIO 667 (beginning Fall 2007)
Insect Ecology, ENT/BIO 665 (beginning Fall 2006)
Forest Entomology, ENT/FOR 402, fall semester annually
Topical seminars, Ent 770.
- Invasive
species (Fall 2005)
- Ethics in science (Fall
1999)
Research
Projects
- Fire
ecology
Fire has played an integral role as an intermittent disturbance agent in the formation and maintenance of eastern forests. Today prescription burning is becoming increasingly important in forest management. I work on fire ecology to determine the extent to which single-year versus multiple-year prescribed burns, and late winter prescribed fires versus catastrophic wildfires, impact arthropod abundance, plant growth and vigor, foliar chemistry, and subsequent herbivore success.
My lab is investigating the impacts of prescribed fire regimes and catastrophic wildfires on herbivory levels of understory and canopy oaks through the cascading effects on plant foliar chemistry and subsequent herbivore success, and characterizing how these interactions influence regeneration and sustainability of
Fire devastates soil/litter arthropod populations through combustion of the litter layer. I am investigating the direct impact of various fire regimes on arthropod abundance in the soil/litter interface, and have found that the recovery period following relatively cool surface fires far exceeds a single growing season. I am also assessing the extent to which these fire regimes impact arthropod acorn predators, which themselves cause extensive seedling mortality, negatively impacting oak regeneration. Interactions
among stressing agents influence host-plant performance and plant community
structure. In deciduous trees, both temporally and spatially segregated intra-
and inter-guild interactions among herbivores have been characterized.
In
Because
recurrence of SPB in
One aspect of plant stressors that I focus on involves feeding guild interactions between gall-makers and later-feeding folivores. Plant galls may alter concentrations of nutrients and defensive compounds in leaves and other plant parts, and so could affect subsequent preference and performance of herbivores utilizing the same food source. These interactions are being investigated in the oak and chestnut systems.
The eastern tent caterpillar is implicated in reproductive failure associated with equine Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome. Consequently, there is great awareness of and heightened interest in managing caterpillar populations. However, grazing restrictions and highly mobile, dispersing caterpillars make insecticide-based control efforts difficult, but this raises the intriguing possibility that farm-wide or local area suppression might be possible through removal of host material or manipulation of larval dispersal behavior. This aspect of my research program focuses on various aspects of eastern tent caterpillar behavioral ecology, and fits well with my longstanding interests in manipulating insect orientation and host location cues to manage insect populations.
Adams, A.S. and L.K. Rieske. 2003. Prescribed fire affects white oak seedling phytochemistry: Implications for insect herbivory.
·
Collaborators:
Mary Arthur - University
of Kentucky Department of Forestry (marthur@uky.edu)
Steve Clarke - US Forest
Service Forest Health,
Dylan Dillaway - University of
Fred Hebard -The American
Chestnut Foundation,
Mike Lacki - University
of Kentucky Department of Forestry (mlacki@uky.edu)
Jim Meeker - US Forest
Service Forest Health,
Sue Miller - formerly
Chuck Rhoades - US Forest
Service, formerly University of Kentucky Department of Forestry