Oak Mortality Caused by Repeated Gypsy Moth Defoliations in New Jersey1

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Abstract
Porthctria dispar (L.) was first reported in the Newark Watershed in 1968. During 1969 and 1970, nearly all favorable host trees sustained 75-100% defoliations on the 17,855 acres of the study area. Oak mortality increased from 6,5% in 1968 to 63.4% in 1972. Mortality rates for white oak, Quercus alba L.; chestnut oak, Q. prinus Willd; red oak, Q. rubra L.; scarlet oak, Q. coccinca Muenchh.; and black oak, Q. velutina Lam. were 84.1, 66.0, 41.1, 27.3, and 47.5%, respectively. An estimated 1,143,911 trees were lost. The net basal area loss for all trees was 44.1%. Mortality among less-favored tree species remained mostly below 6% throughout the 5-year study.

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