Adjunct science faculty member Richard Cobb recently published an article Decomposition of green foliage in eastern hemlock forests of southern New England impacted by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid infestations in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research.

Our ability to adapt to the introduction of damaging exotic organisms rests on our understanding of their impacts Cobb said during a recent seminar at the University of Southern Maine. Cobb also described his recent paper as improving knowledge surrounding the removal of keystone species, in this case eastern hemlock which is a common component of forests in southern Maine and is increasingly threatened by the exotic aphid-like pest Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). The study illustrates the complex and long-lasting impacts of HWA on litter decomposition and nutrient cycling which will be valuable for management of hemlock ecosystems in Maine and New England.


The article will soon be available at: http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/