Integrated management of pests and diseases in the forest environment

Course objectives:

- Understand that organisms that cause pests damage and diseases are integral components of forest ecosystems in which they may
have positive effects, but sometimes can also reduce productivity, cause loss of ecosystem quality or interrupt specific management
projects.
- Understand the functioning of forest ecosystems so that potential intervention can be integrated
- Learn about current trends in pest and disease management aimed at mitigating the risks of applying phytosanitary products and
promoting the implementation of alternative control systems.


Results of learning:

- To know the comprehensive forest management strategies from a phytosanitary point of view
- Be able to develop phytosanitary management plans in productive and natural forests

The degree report for this course includes the following contents:

• Integrated control
• Natural forests and productive plantations from a health point of view.
• Prevention of pests and diseases.
• Population dynamics
• Methodological bases to relate the causes of forest pests and diseases and their epidemiological development.
• Mechanisms for monitoring, comparing to damage thresholds, and making decisions.
• Available strategies: types, selection and evaluation


These contents will be developed according to the following syllabus:

Theoretical Contents:

I. INTEGRATED CONTROL OF PESTS AND DISEASES IN THE FOREST ENVIRONMENT. Integrated control concept, origin and evolution. Current situation of the world forest. Sustainable forest management. Integrated management. Plant-insect/pathogens interaction. Natural forest and plantations. Classroom hours: 4. Individual work: 6 hours.

II. PRINCIPLES FOR THE APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT DISEASES AND WEEDS. Legislative framework for sustainable phytosanitary management. Training requirements. Advisement on Integrated Pest Management. Principles for the application of the IPM. Decision making. Classroom hours: 4. Individual work: 6 hours.

III. BASES AND PROCESSES FOR THE APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT DISEASES AND WEEDS. Control strategies. Prevention, intervention, evaluation, and adaptation of strategies. Phytosanitary inspection at borders, phytosanitary surveillance. Classroom hours: 7. Individual work: 11 hours.

IV. BASES AND PROCESSES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLANS. Good phytosanitary practices for the integrated pest management in nurseries, plantations, regeneration, in silvicultural practices, in transport and in wood storage. Preparation of Integrated Pest Management plans. Evaluation and adaptation of strategies. Classroom hours: 3. Individual work: 4 hours.

Practical contents:
Seminars (6 hours in the classroom):
- Discussion groups of scientific literature to contextualize some ideas in a broader framework that will help clarify concepts. Duration: 2 hours.
- Resolution of practical cases based on real situations for which students must provide IPM solutions. Duration: 2 hours.
- Analyzes of integrated management programs carried out in other countries / geographical areas. 2 hours

Interactive classes (12 hours):
- Field trip: Visit to plots certified for their sustainable forest management Duration: 4 hours in the field.
- Interactive class 1: Development of an Forest Integrated Pest Management Program
1. Diagnosis outdoors. Diagnosis of fungi. Duration 3 hours
2. Diagnosis in lab. Duration 2 hours
3. Guidance for drafting a technical document. Duration 2 hour
- Interactive class 2: Damage prediction methods and aid for decision making using specific software. Duration 1 hour in computer room.

Basic bibliography

AYRES, M.P., LOMBARDERO, M.J. 2018. Forest pests and pest management in the Anthropocene. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 48:292-301.
Franklin, J.F., Johnson K.N., Johson, D.L. 2018. Ecological forest management. Waveland Press Inc., Illinois. 646 pp.
Flower, Ch.E, Gonzalez-Meler, M.A. 2015. Responses of temperate forest productivity to insect and pathogen disturbances. Annual Review Plant Biology. 66:547–69.

Complementary bibliography
Bonello, PCampbell, F.T., Cipollini, D., Conrad, A.O., Farinas, C., Gandhi, K.J.K., Hain, F.P., Parry, D., Showalter, D.N., Villari, C., Wallin, K.F. 2020. Invasive tree pests devastate ecosystems-a proposed new response framework. Frontiers In Forests And Global Change, 3: UNSP 2.
Holmes, T.P., Aukema, J.E., Von Holle, B., Liebhold, A., Sills, E. 2009. Economic impacts of invasive species in forests past, present, and future. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1162: 18-38.
Roberts, M., Gilligan, C.A., Kleczkowski, A., Hanley, Nwhalley, A.E., Healey, J.R. 2020. The effect of forest management options on forest resilience to pathogens. Frontiers In Forests And Global Change, 3: UNSP 7.
Schulze. E.D. 2018. Effects of forest management on biodiversity in temperate deciduous forests: An overview based on Central European beech forests. Journal for Nature Conservation 43 (2018) 213–226.
Páginas web:
ICP Forest. Forest Condiction of Europe. http://www.icp-forests.org/
MAPA. Portal de Sanidad Vegetal.
https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/agricultura/temas/sanidad-vegetal/
MAPA. Guias de gestion integrada de plagas.
https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/agricultura/temas/sanidad-vegetal/productos-…

In this course the student will acquire or perform a series of basic skills common to any university degree and also skills specific to Forest Engineering. Within the framework of competencies that are designed for this degree our course will work to develop these:

Basic, general and transversal skills:
- CB2 - That students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through devising and sustaining arguments and solving problems within their field of study
- CB3 - That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to make judgments that include a reflexion on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
- CB4 - That students are able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to a specialist and non-specialist audience.
- CG1 - Ability to understand the biological, chemical, physical, mathematical, and representation systems foundations necessary for the development of professional activity, as well as to identify the different biotic and physical elements of the forest environment and renewable natural resources capable of protection, conservation and use in forestry.
- CG3 - Knowledge of the degradation processes affecting forest systems and resources (pollution, pests and diseases, fires, etc.) and the ability to use techniques to protect forest regions, to restore forest hydrology, and to preserve biodiversity. In this subject we will work only the processes of degradation caused by forest pests and diseases and the techniques to protect forest against them; the rest of the competency will be developed in other subjects
- CG7 - Ability to solve technical problems arising from the management of natural spaces
- CG10 - Ability to apply the techniques of forest management and land use planning, and the criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management in the context of forest certification procedures. In this subject we will work only the second criterion of forest certification on maintaining the health and vigor of forests, the rest of the competency will be developed in other subjects.
- CG13 - Ability to design, manage, develop, implement and interpret plans and projects and to write technical reports, reconnaissance reports, assessments, expert opinions and appraisals.
- CT1- Ability for analysis and synthesis
- CT2 – Ability for reasoning and argumentation
- CT3 - Ability to work individually with self-critical attitude
- CT4 - Ability to work in groups and cover problematic situations collectively
- CT5 - Ability to obtain adequate, diverse and updated information
- CT6 - Ability to develop and present an organized and understandable text
- CT7 - Ability to make a presentation in public in a clear, concise and consistent manner
- CT8 - Commitment to veracity of the information provided to others
- CT9 - ICT management skills
- CT10 - Use of bibliographic information and from the Internet
- CT11 - Use information in a foreign language
- CT12 - Ability to solve problems through the integrated application of knowledge

Specific competences:
- CECF2- Zoology and Forest Entomology. In this subject we will work only with Forest Entomology the rest of the competency will be developed in other subjects.
- CETEEF6 - Forest Diseases and Pests.

Teaching of this subject will be held by classroom activities and non-classroom activities.

Classroom activities:
They are divided into lectures and interactive classes and the latter in seminars, laboratory practices and field practices. All activities are mandatory.
The lectures are held in large groups in the classroom, they are always accompanied by a rich visual support (photographic, video in English or Spanish, etc.) that facilitates the understanding of the subject. The active participation of students will be sought by promoting discussion on different aspects. The following skills will be worked on: CT2, CT7, CT10, CT11, CB2, CG1, CECF2, CETEEF6.

The interactive classes are a support to the theoretical classes. In the seminars, we will create groups to discuss the scientific literature and analyze specific integrated pest management programs that are carried out in other countries or geographic areas. We will proceed to the resolution of practical cases based on real situations for which the student must provide integrated management solutions individually or in groups. Field practices give the student the opportunity to observe examples of sustainable and integrated management as well as carried out a diagnosis of a forest stand. In the computer room they will use specific software of methods to predict damage and decision making. .The following skills will be worked on: CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT6, CT7, CT8, CT9, CT10, CT11, CT12, CB2, CB3, CB4, CG1, CG3, CG7, CECF2, CETEEF6.

Non-classroom activities:
Students must carry out a technical report on a specific area where they will do an initial diagnosis and provide management recommendations. This individual report will be delivered at the end of the semester and will be evaluated. Competencies worked: CT1, CT2, CT3, CT6CT12, CB2, CB3, CB4, CG2, CG3, CG7, CG13, CECF2, CETEEF6.

The course will be also provided through the on-line campus. Students can view the grading, solve quizzes, download class material (ex. additional readings, watch videos in Spanish and English, lecture notes, scripts, etc.) and open links to other websites. The portal also provides forums where students can leave their comments and opinions and interact with their classmates.

The course assessment will be carried out by means of a written test (50%) and by continuous evaluation (50%). Continuous assessment includes 30% for practices and seminars and 20% for individual work. The student will not pass the subject if does not obtain a minimum of 5 points out of 10 in each of the parts.

The grading of the course will be determined as follows:
1. Written exams (50%): The exam of the theoretical contents has three parts: a multiple choice test (3 points); four short questions (4 point) and a practical case to be solved by the students (3 points). There is a possibility of partial exams and the minimum qualification to do the average among them has to be a 5 of 10.
Competencies: CB2, CB3, CB4, CG1, CG3, CG7, CECF2, CETEEF6
2. Lab classes and seminars (20%): At the end of each lab class there will be a test of knowledge acquired. In the seminars the active participation of the students will be valued as well as the synthesis reports provided by the student in each session. In the resolution of practical cases, an individual or group report must be submitted depending on the case to be evaluated by the teacher. The field trip will be evaluated through an individual report of each student that collects what has been seen and learned in it.
Competencies: CB2, CB3, CB4, CG1, CG3, CG7, CG13, CECF2, CETEEF6.
3. Works delivered (30%): Technical report on diagnosis and health management recommendations for a specific forest, stand or plot.
Competences: CB2, CB3, CB4, CG1, GC3, CG7, CG13, CECF2, CETEEF6.
The rest of the transversal competencies are worked, but not evaluated
All evaluation activities are mandatory and are aimed at reinforcing the capacity to recognize and value the harmful agents that can cause damage to forest systems and resources, as well as to solve problems derived from the health management of the masses, facilitating decision-making.
In the case of detecting the fraudulent performance of the exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Regulations for the evaluation of the academic performance of students and the review of grades" will be applied (article 16 of Resolution of 15/6/2011 of the USC, DOG of 7/21/2011).

The evaluation system is the same for first and second opportunity or repeating students. The students who have granted the dispensation to class have to do the writte exam (80% od the final qualification) and the echnical report on diagnosis and health management recommendations for a specific plot (20%).

Lectures: 18 h
Interactive class: 18 h
Small group titorials: 2 h
Exam: 3 h
Readings and lecture preparation: 27 h
Classroom activities: 25 h
Preparation for avaliation tasks: 19,5 h

Attendance to class is basic and required. The course is structured to learn actively in the field and through discussions. The student must complete this information contrasting with the bibliography and directly in the field when making their technical management report. It is recommended to attend tutorials when there are specific questions.