Loblolly pine decline on Ft. Benning: An analysis of potential underlying causes

Background/Question/Methods: The so-called loblolly pine decline syndrome apparently occurring at the Ft. Benning, Georgia military base is reviewed in the context of similar declines in some conifer forests in the southeastern United States. 

Results/Conclusions: Loblolly pine is a prolific colonizer of abandoned agricultural sites and has been extensively planted and managed on many soil types from Texas through Virginia. Ft. Benning undergoes unique environmental impacts and the constraints which are compounded by constraints imposed by federal requirements for restoring and maintaining habitat for the red cockaded woodpecker. The current decline and mortality in existing mature loblolly pine stands threatens habitat restoration and endangered species recovery goals on this military base. Several interacting factors involving soil conditions, age class of existing loblolly pine stands, root disease causing fungi, insects, and silvicultural treatments are proposed as potential contributing agents.  Given the involvement of these factors in loblolly pine mortality, researchable questions that should be addressed are articulated in this paper that involve both short term and long term studies to determine that the decline is statistically confirmable, and not just a perception of persons focused on the endangered species issues. It is also suggested that the highly degraded soils resulting from previous agricultural use may represent an environment so altered that historic growth patterns are no longer achievable.