Download or read book Direct and Indirect Impacts of Emerald Ash Borer on Forest Bird Communities written by Lawrence Charles Long and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmare) is an exotic invader in North American forests. The buprestid wood borer has killed millions of ash trees since its discovery in southeastern Michigan in 2002. Because North American ash trees lack an evolutionary history with EAB, it has the potential to functionally extirpate the genus Fraxinus from the North American continent. Widespread, simultaneous ash mortality is likely to initiate a cascade of direct and indirect ecological effects. Forest infestation by EAB and subsequent loss of ash trees may lead to altered habitat and food availability for native insectivores such as birds. The objectives of this research were to: (1) determine utilization of EAB as a food resource by non-migratory bark-gleaning birds, (2) quantify forest regeneration in response to EAB-induced ash tree mortality and (3) determine the impact of EAB-induced regeneration on forest bird communities.