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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

Agrilus liragus, entomopathogenic fungi, tree rotting fungus

College

Life Sciences

Department

Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Abstract

This project was funded with the intent that possible biological controls could be found to control the population explosions of bark boring beetles. We hypothesized that due to the prevalence of beetle outbreaks in the West, we would find enough Agrilus liragus specimens to culture native entomopathogenic fungi. We hoped to sequence that fungi and hypothesized that there would be new species of pathogenic fungi that is specific to Agrilus liragus. Through our fieldwork we were not able to find sufficient numbers of Agrilus liragus to accomplish these goals. What we did find were high levels of the tree rotting fungus Phellinus tremulae at our study sites. We found that the prevalence of this fungus seem to have a strong correlation with altitude. More research is being done to further understand the environmental range of the fungus Phellinus tremulae.

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