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The pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda, is causing substantial tree mortality to Pinus yunnanensis in south-western China, whereas the same species in Europe seldom kills Pinus sylvestris. In order to understand this difference in aggressiveness, we studied the shoot feeding ecology of the pine shoot beetles in Yunnan, and compared it with European results. We found many similarities in the shoot feeding behaviour of T. piniperda, and also that of Tomicus mirror, which was common locally. In contrast to Europe, however, the pine shoot beetles in Yunnan seem to be able to predispose the host trees for stem attack by intensive shoot-feeding. It has also been observed that beetles aggregate in certain trees during shoot feeding, but we could not verify that in our experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on interactions of two decay fungi Heterobasidion annosum and Stereum sanguinolentum with two non-decay fungi and bacteria, following inoculation into stems of 16 healthy Picea abies. All the microbes used in inoculations were of spruce origin. Growth and survival of microbes were followed over the subsequent five years. The stems were effectively colonized by the bacteria. Of the inoculated microbes, Ascocoryne cyclichnium and the bacteria had successfully invaded almost all the trees.