Diario del proyecto Mysterious Bumpy Beech Bark Project

01 de marzo de 2021

TONIGHT! Join me on Make It Count Monday!

Join me on March 1st for Make It Count Monday!

Information here:
https://scistarter.org/make-it-count-monday-mysterious-bumpy-beech-bark?fbclid=IwAR31UPjQxskuaYBb--1IX9mtADUZBPINvOFtY2ZzWZXZUjndVmXNIhJ6xuY

Looking forward to talking with NC State's Deja Perkins about this new project!

Publicado el marzo 1, 2021 04:35 TARDE por steph_jeffries steph_jeffries | 2 comentarios | Deja un comentario

29 de enero de 2021

Welcome to the Mysterious Bumpy Beech Project!

Thanks for helping us track down a mystery! I first noticed beech trees with bumpy bark a few years ago. I sent photos to a few friends but no one seemed to know what it is. I saw it again on the Falls Lake Trail, part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and sent photos to my colleagues at NC State Forest Health Extension, Drs. Robert Jetton and Kelly Oten. We went back to check it out. They asked some of their colleagues. Some of them had seen it before (in places as far away as West Virginia and Georgia) but no one seems to know what it is.

Like any good science mystery, there are lots of questions. Is it a disease, a pathogen, or just a genetic variant of American beech? Is the tree harmed by these bumps (it seems not, but we need to check out their canopies when they leaf out)? It does not appear to be insect-caused.

To start, we'd like to map as many locations as we can find, to understand how widespread this is. Anyone can help if they see a beech with bumpy bark!

  1. First, make sure you have an American beech tree. American beech usually has smooth, light gray bark. Trees often retain curled-up tan leaves all winter. Finally, check a branch and look for long, pointed buds.
  2. Next, snap a couple of pictures. Make sure the geo-referencing (location data) is on.
  3. Use iNaturalist to upload your photo and identify it as American beech, Fagus grandifolia. Now, add a tag: bumpy beech bark. Finally, add it to the Mysterious Beech Bark Project!

Many thanks!

Publicado el enero 29, 2021 06:20 TARDE por steph_jeffries steph_jeffries | 8 comentarios | Deja un comentario

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