Forest pathogens: friend or foe to biodiversity?

Winder, Richard S.; Shamoun, Simon F.

doi:10.1080/07060660609507378

Cited by 23 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Forest ecosystems are complex. While fungal communities, including pathogens and mycorrhizal species, may be the major drivers of plant community structures and forest biodiversity ( 69 ), plant species diversity is also known to conversely influence fungal community structures ( 20 ). Therefore, the changes observed in fungal communities in the present study may also reflect those in the composition of understory plant communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Soil Fungal Populations and Communities to the Thinning of <i>Cryptomeria Japonica</i> Forests

Lin

Wang

Chen

et al. 2016

Microbes and environments

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Forest management activities, such as tree thinning, alter forest ecology, including key components of forest ecosystems, including fungal communities. In the present study, we investigate the effects of forest thinning intensity on the populations and structures of fungal soil communities in the Cryptomeria japonica forests of central Taiwan as well as the dynamics of soil fungi communities in these forests after a thinning disturbance. Although the populations of soil fungi significantly increased in the first 6 months after thinning, these increases had subsided by 9 months. This pulse was attributed to a transient increase in the populations of rapid colonizers. A multiple regression analysis positively correlated fungal populations with organic matter content and cellulase activity. Thinning initially provided large amounts of fresh leaves and roots as nutrient-rich substrates for soil fungi. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles indicated that soil fungal communities significantly differed among plots with 0% (control), 25%, and 50% tree thinning in the first 21 months post-thinning, with no significant differences being observed after 21 months. The fungal communities of these forest soils also changed with the seasons, and an interactive relationship was detected between seasons and treatments. Seasonal variations in fungal communities were the most pronounced after 50% tree thinning. The results of the present study demonstrate that the soil fungi of Taiwanese C. japonica forests are very sensitive to thinning disturbances, but recover stability after a relatively short period of time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Soil Fungal Populations and Communities to the Thinning of <i>Cryptomeria Japonica</i> Forests

Lin

Wang

Chen

et al. 2016

Microbes and environments

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“…Forest pathogens include fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, phytoplasmas, parasitic higher plants, viruses and nematodes. Native forest pathogens, which are integral components of many forest ecosystems (Hansen & Goheen, 2000), influence species richness and abundance, and forest succession, structure and composition at the stand and landscape levels (Winder & Shamoun, 2006). They also strongly affect animal populations, nutrient and water cycling, and overall ecosystem function.…”

Section: Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and forest diseases

et al. 2011

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As climate changes, the effects of forest diseases on forest ecosystems will change. We review knowledge of relationships between climate variables and several forest diseases, as well as current evidence of how climate, host and pathogen interactions are responding or might respond to climate change. Many forests can be managed to both adapt to climate change and minimize the undesirable effects of expected increases in tree mortality. We discuss four types of forest and disease management tactics -monitoring, forecasting, planning and mitigation -and provide case studies of yellow-cedar decline and sudden aspen decline to illustrate how forest diseases might be managed in the face of climate change. The uncertainties inherent to climate change effects can be diminished by conducting research, assessing risks, and linking results to forest policy, planning and decision making.

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“…Often, seeds and genetic material is transferred from these areas to other nearby burned parts, colonizing the landscape and reestablishing vegetation. If those surviving areas or individuals are affected, then the process of forest regeneration can be halted or lead to vegetation alterations (Winder and Shamoun 2006). The available choices are: none; partial; extended; and intense.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%