Jennifer Pontius(1), Richard Hallett(1), Mary Martin(2)

(1)USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, (2)Complex Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire

Primary Interests:

Foliar Chemistry and Hemlock Susceptibility, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing in Detection and Monitoring

HWA Objectives:

Our network of hemlock study sites currently include 65 plots from Maine to PA, covering a range of HWA infestation, hemlock health and site nutrient status. The primary goals of our original four year project (which began in 2001) were to:
1. Determine if foliar chemistry is linked to HWA success and hemlock decline.
2. Identify key narrow-band wavelengths to more accurately predict small changes in hemlock decline and infestation status.
3. Develop and evaluate hyperspectral technologies to map hemlock health, susceptibility and infestation on a landscape scale (using NASA's AVIRIS instrument).
More recently we have secured funds to add soils data. This should allow us to better understand the links between HWA and foliar chemistry, which will help in the creation of relative susceptibility indices. Ultimately this data will also be used to assess how foliar chemistry and HWA infestation levels fluctuate over time, which will help us to better understand HWA / hemlock dynamics.