Societal Impact Statement Damage to ash trees by ash dieback caused by the emerging fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is impacting people across Europe. This poses challenges to: public safety; productivity of commercial forestry; green spaces and human wellbeing; and ecosystem services and carbon sequestration. Here, we seek to quantify the impact of ash dieback on tree mortality by analyzing surveys counting the proportion of trees that have died in sites across Europe. However, more and better data are needed to inform policy makers, foresters, conservationists, and other stakeholders as they plan for a long‐term future with ash dieback. Summary The ash dieback epidemic, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, has been present in Europe for over 20 years and caused widespread damage and mortality in ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) populations. Ash is a major natural capital asset and plays an important role in nature’s contribution to people in Europe. Here, we present a meta‐analysis of surveys of ash mortality due to ash dieback, and a time‐dependent model to estimate longer term mortality. In plantations established previous to the arrival of the epidemic, we analyze 12 surveys, finding a maximum recorded mortality of ~85%. In woodlands with exposure to ash dieback of between 4 and 20 years, we analyze 36 surveys, finding a maximum recorded mortality (which may have missed some dead trees) of ~70%. We also analyze 10 surveys of naturally regenerated saplings, finding maximum recorded mortality of ~82%. We apply logistic models to these data sets to seek longer term predictions. More data are needed before our models can be relied upon for policy decisions. If survival found so far in woodlands is due in part to heritable resistance, natural selection or a breeding program may allow future recovery of ash populations in Europe.

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Changes in gene expression form a crucial part of the plant response to infection. In the last decade, whole-leaf expression profiling has played a valuable role in identifying genes and processes that contribute to the interactions between the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and a diverse range of pathogens. However, with some pathogens such as downy mildew caused by the biotrophic oomycete pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa), whole-leaf profiling may fail to capture the complete Arabidopsis response encompassing responses of non-infected as well as infected cells within the leaf. Highly localized expression changes that occur in infected cells may be diluted by the comparative abundance of non-infected cells. Furthermore, local and systemic Hpa responses of a differing nature may become conflated. To address this we applied the technique of Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS), typically used for analyzing plant abiotic responses, to the study of plant-pathogen interactions. We isolated haustoriated (Hpa-proximal) and non-haustoriated (Hpa-distal) cells from infected seedling samples using FACS, and measured global gene expression. When compared with an uninfected control, 278 transcripts were identified as significantly differentially expressed, the vast majority of which were differentially expressed specifically in Hpa-proximal cells. By comparing our data to previous, whole organ studies, we discovered many highly locally regulated genes that can be implicated as novel in the Hpa response, and that were uncovered for the first time using our sensitive FACS technique.