Abstract

The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once a dominant tree in eastern North America before being nearly wiped out by chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) in the early 1900s. Current restoration efforts focus on hybridizing the blight-resistant Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) with the native American chestnut. While this approach may improve tree survival, it is still unclear whether hybrid chestnuts can support the same ecological relationships that made the American chestnut a keystone species. Insects play central roles in forest ecosystems as pollinators, herbivores, and decomposers. Without these interactions, hybridization may only provide a superficial solution. This study examines the variation in insect diversity across American, Chinese, and hybridized backcross chestnut tree stands at the American Chestnut Foundation's Meadowview plantation. Insects were collected and analyzed across stands of different chestnut hybridizations using pyramid traps, pan traps, and Berlease funnel extraction. Leaf samples were also collected to analyse herbivory. Samples were processed in the NEMA lab at UNC Asheville to compare biodiversity, community composition, and leaf herbivory among treatments.. This research links chestnut hybridization and insect community variables to examine whether hybrids can fill the ecological role once played by American chestnuts. Overall insect biodiversity did not differ significantly among chestnut treatments except in pan traps. However, Community composition varied among pan trap color and treatment type. indicating that color may influence capture patterns across treatments. The results provide insight into the impact (positive, negative, neutral) of Chestnut tree hybridization on insect biodiversity and community composition. These findings will inform restoration strategies by helping answer the larger question of whether forests planted with hybrid chestnuts will function like forests that existed before the chestnut blight decimated them.

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