Unmasking an underground killer: Trees at high risk of root disease pinpointed with new remote sensing methods

Abstract

Conifer forests in the Interior Northwest are commonly affected by Armillaria root disease, an underground fungal infection that causes pockets of tree death. Gaps in the canopy that result from mortality caused by root disease change forests in significant ways: they alter the structure of the forest stand, changing how habitats evolve; they alter the distribution of fuel, changing the fire risk and potential fire behavior; and they lower tree density, reducing the productivity of timber operations.

Citation

Bright, Benjamin; Oblinger, Brent. 2022. Unmasking an underground killer: Trees at high risk of root disease pinpointed with new remote sensing methods. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), August 2022. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.