The population numbers of EAB will likely crash, but the question is whether they will go low enough for an ash "rebirth" or will they persist enough to suppress ash well into the future. There are many examples of exotic pests and pathogens, and usually the story does not have a happy ending for the "host:" American chestnut (chestnut blight), flowering dogwood (anthracnose), American elm (Dutch Elm disease), butternut (canker), etc.. I am working with someone at the 5-rivers metroparks here in Dayton- they are doing massive underplantings<http://www.metroparks.org/Reforestation/Home.aspx>in ash stands with a wide diversity of tree species in the hopes of planting a more diverse forest for the next generation. Forest diversity is the best bulwark against these invasive pests and pathogens...because *mostly* they key to a specific host (like EAB- which cannot feed on anything other than the genus Fraxinus = ash). The really scary ones are those with a broader host range- like gypsy moth<http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/>or Asian longhorn beetle <http://www.agri.ohio.gov/topnews/asianbeetle/> (both are in Ohio). *Constant vigilance*!! Ryan W. McEwan, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology The University of Dayton 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-2320 Office phone: 1.937.229.2558 Lab phone: 1.937.229.2567 Office Location: SC 223D Email: [log in to unmask] Lab: http://academic.udayton.edu/ryanmcewan On Thu, Jun 20, 2013 at 9:13 AM, Steve Hughes <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > The question I have about the EAB is what happens when all the Ash trees > are > gone? Does it adapt to something else or just disappear? It seems a poor > survival strategy if you kill your food source and it happens to be a tree > that doesn't replace itself through 10 generations. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mark Prinster > Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 7:58 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [Ohio-birds] Emerald Ash Borer > > As one who always looks for a silver lining I must say that the devastation > inflicted on the native ash trees by the EAB has been a real benefit to > novice birders such as my wife and me. Those leafless canopies > interspersed > within healthy forest stands makes spotting and identifying birds so much > easier. Our first ever trip to Maumee back in May was especially rewarding > because of all the leafless branches. Now if we can just get the EAB to go > away and let our forests get back to normal. > > Mark > > ______________________________**______________________________**__________ > > Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at > www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/**scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS<http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS> > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] > > ______________________________**______________________________**__________ > > Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at > www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/**scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS<http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS> > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]