Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука (May 2016)
Review of the sanitary state of coniferous forests in windfall places in the Ile-Alatau National park (Kazakhstan) in 2011–2015
Abstract
The article presents the results of a study on the species composition of stem pests- insects and limitation of their number, carried out in the Ile-Alatau State National Park (Kazakhstan) in 2011–2015. The reason for this study was a windfall, which occurred in 2011 in the National Park and followed a few years later by forest fires. These emergencies created a favourable environment for the reproduction of stem pests. The management of the Ile-Alatau National Park, together with the Institute of Zoology of the MES, has taken the necessary measures to investigate the species composition of the pests, their natural regulators and to conduct protective measures in the hotbeds of xylophages mass production. At the same time consultations and joint research with scientists from Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and the Czech Republic were held. The monitoring of the state of forests started in 2011. The composition of species and number of xylophagous pests has been carried out. In the 2011–2015-surveys 48 species of stem pests, belonging to three orders of the class of insects, were found: Hemiptera, or Bugs (1 species, 1 family), Coleoptera, or Beetles (42 species, 5 families), Hymenoptera (5 species, 1 family). During all the years of research the Hauzer bark beetle Ips hauseri and the longhorn beetle ribbed ragy Rhagium inquisitor dominated numerically. Slightly less Orthotomicus suturalis and the kyrgyzstan micrograph Pityophthorus kirgisicus were found. Besides, the study of diseases of stem pests and their entomophages (predators and parasites) was carried out, which is a prerequisite for carrying out forest-pathological examinations. In total 53 species, from five classes, eleven orders and 27 families of invertebrates have been revealed. Most of them belong to the class of insects, others to spiders and centipedes. On several species of bark beetles and longhorn beetles an entomopathogenic fungus – white muscardine Beauveria bassiana was found. As the result of long-term monitoring, it was found out that due to removal and disposal of contaminated windfall wood, its natural decomposition in the field, the increasing number of entomophages and the spread of fungal epizootic among the pests there was a natural reduction of some old reproductive hotbeds of stem-pests, revealed in 2011–2013. However, the risk of the continued operation of some old and the emergence of new hotbeds is actual; that is why it is necessary to continue the monitoring of forest pathology and to use a number of stem pest control measures in future.
