Catalogue of pests and pathogens of trees on the island of Ireland

Abstract

The health and sustainability of trees are increasingly under threat from biotic and abiotic sources, including rising incidences of non-native invasive plant pests and pathogens. The island of Ireland (Ireland and Northern Ireland) is generally understood to have a high plant health status, due to its island status and because of the national and international regulations aimed at protecting plant health. To establish a baseline of the current pest and pathogen threats to tree health for the island of Ireland, the literature and unpublished sources were reviewed to produce a dataset of pests and pathogens of trees on the island of Ireland. Thedataset contains 396 records—the majority of pests and pathogens being arthropods and fungi—and indicates potentially more than 44 non-native pest and pathogen introductions. The reliability of many (378) of the records was judged to be high, therefore the dataset provides a robust assessment of the state of pests and pathogens of trees recorded on the island of Ireland. We analyse this dataset and review the history of plant pest and pathogen invasions; in doing so, we discuss (i) notable native and non-native pests and pathogens of trees, (ii) interceptions at borders and (iii) pests, pathogens and climate change. The dataset establishes an important baseline for the knowledge of plant pests and pathogens on the island of Ireland, and will be a valuable resource for future plant health research and policy making.