Ecological factors in Dutch elm disease complex in Europe – a review

Abstract

The current Dutch elm disease (DED) pandemic, caused by the vascular fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier, is devastating the global elm communities. The reasons for the great success of this disease are many. Since ancient times, humans have intensively manipulated the European elms resulting in a progressive reduction of their genetic diversity. This has facilitated the spread of DED in Europe, particularly at the beginning of the current pandemic. However, DED is a result of complex and dynamic interactions between multiple factors: elms, fungi, insect vectors, humans, and other organisms that interact with these factors in different ways. In addition, abiotic environment is likely to directly or indirectly regulate these interactions. Along with the urgent need to conserve the remaining genetic diversity of elms and to progress with elm breeding efforts for resistance, we thus also need to better understand the ecological factors behind the DED complex. This understanding could be useful also in managing other similar disease complexes in broadleaved trees, in particular in oaks and ash. A better understanding of environment-genotype interactions could also help informing sustainable disease management strategies for other clonally propagated tree species, such as poplars, whose massive clonal propagation in Europe could increase their vulnerability to emerging forest diseases, In this paper, we summarize current knowledge of some ecological factors that affect the success of the DED in the nemoral and temporal broadleaved forests of Europe, and discuss how alterations in the global climate could push the ecological balance in DED complex to a different position from where it is today

Published in

Ecological Bulletins
2010, number: 53, pages: 209-224 Title: Broadleaved Forests in Southern Sweden: Management for Multiple Goals
Publisher: The Nordic Society Oikos

SLU Authors

• Witzell, Johanna

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/27390