Monitoring streams and stormwater ponds for early detection of oomycete plant pathogens in western Washington, a citizen science project

Abstract

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is the common name for a disease caused by Phytophthora ramorum (oomycetes), an invasive plant pathogen of regulatory concern. The nursery, timber, forest specialty product, and Christmas tree industries in Washington are at risk because of the spread of P. ramorum within nurseries and from nurseries into waterways and the landscape. This study was initiated in 2010 in order to monitor for early detection of P. ramorum in western Washington streams and ponds. Since P. ramorum, to date, has been documented to be established in only a few WA streams, this survey provides a baseline description of other oomycete species present in western WA water bodies in urban, rural, and wildland areas.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the sudden oak death sixth science symposium

Citation

Elliott, Marianne; Rollins, Lucy; Chastagner, Gary. 2017. Monitoring streams and stormwater ponds for early detection of oomycete plant pathogens in western Washington, a citizen science project. In: Frankel, Susan J.; Harrell, Katharine M., tech. coords. Proceedings of the sudden oak death sixth science symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. GTR-PSW-255. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 70-71.