Impacts of laurel wilt disease on redbay (Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng.) population structure and forest communities in the coastal plain of Georgia, USA

Laurel wilt disease (LWD), a fungal disease vectored by the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff), has caused mortality of redbay (Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng.) in the coastal plain of Georgia since 2003. Despite its rapid spread, little research has evaluated its impacts on redbay population structure and forest communities. Diseased populations of redbay in five sites (2–4 years post infestation) were compared to healthy populations in three uninfested sites in five counties in Georgia. The results showed high redbay mortality, shifts in size structure, and changes in community composition. An average of 90 % of redbay trees ≥3 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were dead in infested sites, compared to 0–35 % in control sites. Mortality was seen in individuals of the smallest stem diameter category (<1.00 cm diameter at ground height). DBH of live redbay trees in control sites was twice that of those in infested sites. Photosynthetically active radiation was 4.8 times greater at infested sites than control sites due to loss of redbay canopy. Community structure measurements showed redbay trees had the greatest mean importance value (IV) at control sites compared to the 8th mean IV at infested sites for live stems. Two species co-dominant to redbay, sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana L.) and loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus (L.) J. Ellis), were of higher importance at infested than control sites, suggesting they are increasing in dominance following the mortality of redbay. This study shows LWD has impacted redbay populations and altered associated forest communities in Georgia.