Research Report: Field Assessment of Bishop Peak Forest Health Conditions

Introduction and Hypotheses

Forest health is critical to ecosystem function as it influences carbon storage, habitat structure, and nutrient cycling. Tree decline is often driven by a combination of biotic factors – such as insect damage and pathogenic fungi, as examined in this study – and abiotic stressors such as competition for light and resources. Understanding how these factors interact, and how trees respond to each of these factors, is crucial to understanding forest health decline. Furthermore, developing comprehension of how these factors interact and affect different levels of canopy strata help give an idea of processes affecting underlying tree mortality. In particular, distinguishing between widespread, low-impact damage indicators of structural decline, such as root pathogens and wood decay, is essential for predicting forest dynamics and informing management strategies.

This study measured approximately 100 stems of Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak) trees across 10 plots on the Felsman loop at Bishop Peak in San Luis Obispo, California, with the intent of examining the following hypothesis: trees with poorer canopy health and lower canopy strata will have a higher prevalence of forest insect and pathogen damage than trees with healthier canopies and more dominant strata.