Red beech death in the Maruia Valley South Island, New Zealand

Abstract

Many red beech trees died in parts of the Maruia Valley between 1978 and 1980 following an outbreak of the scale insect Inglisia fagi. Annual diameter increment of trees and climatic data suggest the primary cause to be a series of spring droughts between 1974 and 1978. In the worst affected stands of mixed red and silver beech a large proportion of the red beech trees died. Release from competition was reflected in the greatly increased growth rate of the residual silver beech which generally was not heavily attacked by the scale insect; early response of surviving red beech was limited because of reduced foliage.

Keywords:

• Nothofagus
• beech scale
• beech mortality
• drought