Abstract
Biological invasions, resulting from deliberate and unintentional species transfers of insects, fungal and oomycete organisms, are a major consequence of globalization and pose a significant threat to biodiversity. Limiting damage by non-indigenous forest pathogens requires an understanding of their current and potential distributions, factors affecting disease spread, and development of appropriate management measures. In this review, we synthesize innate characteristics of invading organisms (notably mating system, reproduction type, and dispersal mechanisms) and key factors of the host population (namely host diversity, host connectivity, and host susceptibility) that govern spread and impact of invasive forest pathogens at various scales post-introduction and establishment. We examine spread dynamics for well-known invasive forest pathogens, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (T. Kowalski) Baral, Queloz, Hosoya, comb. nov., causing ash dieback in Europe, and Cryphonectria parasitica, (Murr.) Barr, causing chestnut blight in both North America and Europe, illustrating the importance of host variability (diversity, connectivity, susceptibility) in their invasion success. While alien pathogen entry has proven difficult to control, and new biological introductions are indeed inevitable, elucidating the key processes underlying host variability is crucial for scientists and managers aimed at developing effective strategies to prevent future movement of organisms and preserve intact ecosystems.
Highlights
Increased connectivity and globalization have greatly accelerated the frequency and magnitude of biological invasions around the globe by facilitating the long-distance movement of species into regions outside their historical distribution range
We provide an overview of the main factors affecting variability in disease spread: host diversity, host connectivity, and host susceptibility and use one historical and one recent example of invasive pathogens that have significantly impacted forests to illustrate their invasion success and spread dynamics in that context
Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) the likelihood of pathogen spread within an importing country or region considers such factors like the dispersal potential as it relates to the pathogen’s reproductive potential, the pathogen’s inherent mobility, and external dispersal facilitation modes
Summary
Increased connectivity and globalization have greatly accelerated the frequency and magnitude of biological invasions around the globe by facilitating the long-distance movement of species into regions outside their historical distribution range. (extremes of temperature, moisture, and UV radiation) in the new location place strong limitations These factors act as a strong selection filter leading to rapid adaptation to new environmental conditions on a pathogen’s survival, its ability to reproduce and disperse, and subsequently spread [19,20]. Host structure (topography, natural geographic/environmental barriers, forest fragmentation) will largely susceptibility to invasive pathogens is influenced by physical traits (size, age, morphology), the influence spread dynamics on the landscape level. Evolutionary and affected by host diversity, connectivity, and susceptibility will improve our ability to predict disease environmental factors, as well as continuous pressures caused by human activity will influence spread spread on the landscape and potential consequences to ecosystem services. When patterns of past spread are missing, future spread may be forecasted with simulations using either a mechanistic model or extrapolations (e.g., [32,33])
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