Dr. Ernest Bernard, Professor
Research
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory
(ATBI); taxonomy and ecology of Collembola, Protura, and nematodes; biological
control of root-knot and cyst nematodes.
TITLE: All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains
National Park: Soil Arthropods and Nematodes.
Objectives: The goal of the ATBI is to document all known forms of life
in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). This inventory is unprecedented
in size and scope, with nearly 200 scientists involved in documenting
life in the Park. The Smokies constitute one of the most biodiverse temperate
regions on earth. For instance, there are more species of trees in GSMNP
than in all of Europe, and there are more species of salamanders in the
Park than anywhere else. The best estimate is that 100,000 species of
living organisms exist in the Park, but only a small fraction of these
(vertebrates, butterflies, vascular plants) are well known. Most of the
100,000 species have not yet been recorded from GSMNP, and it is anticipated
that many species new to science will be discovered. I serve as the taxonomic
working group (TWIG) leader for the apterygote-myriapod TWIG (includes
Collembola, Protura, Diplura, Thysanura, Microcoryphia, Pauropoda, Symphyla,
Chilopoda, Diplopoda) and the nematode TWIG (includes free-living, plant-parasitic,
and invertebrate-parasitic nematodes). The long-range goals of these
TWIGs are to develop a comprehensive list of all species in GSMNP, develop
distribution maps of the species collected, and to describe new species.
Title: Biological Control of Root-Knot and Cyst Nematodes.
Objectives: Root-knot and cyst nematodes cause many millions of dollars
worth of crop losses every year. For many reasons, means of control
are quite limited. Biological control of these pests is an exciting
possibility. Many kinds of soilborne fungi can attach these nematodes.
The challenge is in finding and developing fungi that will attack nematodes
at their most vulnerable stages and when they will have the most impact.
Another approach is to use organic soil amendments or antagonistic
plants to reduce nematode numbers. For instance, wheat planted in the
winter reduces cyst nematode numbers so that the following soybean
crop is less damaged. Also, plant residues (leaves, mulch) mixed into
soil can reduce nematode populations. As chemical management fades
into history, alternative approaches will become more important.
Read how institute scientist are partners in a multi-agency task force
to control a devastating pest in the Tennessee Land, Life & Science
article, "Saving
Tennessee Hemlocks" (Vol. 1/No. 2/2003).
Check out the All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory Dr. Bernard is working
on in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Read more about Dr. Bernard's research (USDA research reports) on the
CRIS database at http://cwf.uvm.edu/cris/. Just choose CRIS Search and
then enter Bernard, E. C. in the box marked Investigator.
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians soil invertebrate
survey.
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, A Mortal Threat to Appalachian Hemlock Forests
The
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: A Threat to Hemlock in Tennessee (SP503-G)
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