Influence of woodland expansion (1942 to 2000) on the establishment of Phytophthora ramorum

Abstract

Human land-use practices have resulted in dramatic alterations of forest ecosystems worldwide. By modifying transmission pathways and habitat structure, land use changes are being increasingly implicated in the emergence of infectious plant disease. In this research, we examined the effects of human-related land-cover change on the establishment of the invasive plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, causal agent of the forest disease sudden oak death. We hypothesized oak woodlands in coastal California have increased in density and expanded into grassland and shrubland areas over the last century due to fire suppression, leading to increased contagion of host vegetation and cooler forest microclimate conditions facilitating disease establishment.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the sudden oak death third science symposium

Citation

Meentemeyer, Ross K.; Rank, Nathan E.; Anacker, Brian L.; Rizzo, David M.; Cushman, Hall J. 2008. Influence of woodland expansion (1942 to 2000) on the establishment of Phytophthora ramorum. In: Frankel, Susan J.; Kliejunas, John T.; Palmieri, Katharine M., tech. coords. 2008. Proceedings of the sudden oak death third science symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-214. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. pp. 223-224