Authors: Matteo Garbelotto Marco Pautasso
Publish Date: 2011/12/23
Volume: 133, Issue: 1, Pages: 101-116
Abstract
Mediterranean ecosystems are hotspots of biodiversity Because of a coincidence of high species richness and human presence Mediterranean biodiversity is particularly threatened by processes such as habitat degradation fragmentation and loss pollution climate change and introduction of invasive species Invasive tree pathogens are among the problematic exotic species of California Chile the Mediterranean South Africa and Australia In this review we provide an update on a selection of nonnative tree pathogens currently posing a threat in Mediterranean ecosystems The impact of exotic forest pathogens range from largescale tree and shrub mortality in native ecosystems Phytophthora ramorum on the West Coast of the USA to disruption of plantations of exotic eg Seiridium cardinale on planted Monterey cypress in California Fusarium circinatum on Monterey pine worldwide and native trees introduction of the North American Heterobasidion irregulare in stone pine woodland in Italy Genetic analyses are instrumental in improving our understanding and management of these outbreaks There is a need for more empirical data on how novel pathosystems are likely to develop under novel climates as well as interdisciplinary collaborations among forest pathologists theoretical modellers and climatologists The magnitude of the observed effects of some exotic tree diseases makes it important to try and minimize the risk of the inadvertent movement of plant pathogens when planning assisted migration activities to enable plant species to cope with rapid climate changeMany thanks to C Brasier MI Clara K DehnenSchmutz S Frankel P Gonthier E Hansen J Hayden O Holdenrieder M Jeger V Kertesz C Manceau S Mascheretti M MoslonkaLefebvre G Nicolotti J Parke S Prospero T Rafoss D Rizzo S Tramontini A Vannini A Vettraino S Vos X Xu J Webber for insights and discussions and to T Matoni and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on a previous draft This review is based on a presentation by M Garbelotto at the Climate Change and Plant Disease Management Conference University of Evora Portugal 10–12 November 2010
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