Fungal Pathogens in Forested Ecosystems

Abstract

Healthy forests are not only a key component of ecosystem services globally, but provide societal, environmental, and economic benefits to our society. Forests, although resilient, have become threatened by anthropogenic stressors including prolonged drought and flooding events, and increased temperatures as a result of global warming. These extreme abiotic stressors make forest trees maladapted to their changed environments and therefore more susceptible to insect and/or pathogen invasions. The chapter titled Fungi in Forested Ecosystems, authored by Denita Hadziabdic, Aaron Onufrak, and Romina Gazis, discusses the role of emerging fungal disease complexes (host-pathogen-vector system) and their impact on North American forests. Pathogen basic biology, detection, identification, diagnosis, and best management strategies to mitigate their further spread are explained with a focus on Fusarium Dieback – Invasive Shot Hole Borers, Laurel Wilt, and Thousand Cankers Disease. This chapter also describes best management practices for economically and environmentally important forest diseases including Chestnut Blight, Dutch Elm Disease, Butternut Canker Disease, Oak Wilt, Laurel Wilt, and Thousand Cankers Disease.