Pest Vulnerability Matrix (PVM): A Graphic Model for Assessing the Interaction between Tree Species Diversity and Urban Forest Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

2005 | Joe R. McBride, University of California, Berkeley

Although information is available on susceptibility of individual tree species to insects and diseases, it is nevertheless difficult to assess from such data the overall vulnerability of an urban forest to locally important insects and diseases, or to assess the effects of either changing tree species composition, or introducing new pests.

Our model takes in the tree species data (e.g. an urban forest inventory), and local pest data, and combines the two datasets into a matrix graphic (table) showing the susceptibility of the tree population to insects & diseases.  The model enables the urban forester to quickly identify (1) the most important pests (widest host range) and (2) the most vulnerable tree species (those susceptible to the greatest number of locally found pests). The model also facilitates overall assessment of the cumulative vulnerability of the urban forest by calculating the percentage of trees affected by each pest/disease, and the percentage of the pests/diseases that affect each tree species.

The  model also allows weighing the tree species data by population size, so that the most numerous tree species are highlighted, and enables evaluation of the effect of future plantings (i.e. adding new tree species) and exotic pests on the cumulative vulnerability of the urban forest.

Year: 2005

Funding Duration: 1-3 years

Grant Program: John Z Duling

Grant Title: Pest Vulnerability Matrix (PVM): A Graphic Model for Assessing the Interaction between Tree Species Diversity and Urban Forest Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Researcher: Joseph McBride

Key words: pests; diseases; identification model; species vulnerability

Peer Reviewed Publications from Grant:

• Igor Laćan, Joe R. McBride(2008) Pest Vulnerability Matrix (PVM): A graphic model for assessing the interaction between tree species diversity and urban forest susceptibility to insects and diseases, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 7(4):291-300. View the Publication >

General Audience/Trade Publications: none

Presentations: none

For more information on this project, contact the researcher via TREE Fund at treefund@treefund.org.