Effects of silvicultural treatments on acorn weevil occurrence in mixed-oak forests

TL;DRAbstract

Oak regeneration failure in the hardwood forests of the Central and Eastern United States has been well documented. Strict policies of fire suppression likely have contributed to this decline by allowing shade-tolerant species to dominate the understory, suppressing the growth of oak seedlings and their subsequent release to larger size categories. What is not clear is the role that fire suppression may have played on the major oak seed predator, the acorn weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Weevils have been known to depredate a large percentage of acorns produced in a given growing season. This can result in lower seedling recruitment. The resulting low seedling density reduces the efficacy of the shelterwood-burn technique in regenerating oak stands. The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of three commonly used silvicultural treatments on weevil occurrence in mixedoak forests of southeastern Ohio. For this study we used the silvicultural treatments of the National

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