3 research outputs found
Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options
Producción CientíficaPine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg
and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense
ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be
infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants
for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also
spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the
current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe.
Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about
the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of
these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of
environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of
a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including
several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which
may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further
amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM)
solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk.
We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved
understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host
trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine
trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (contract IF/00471/2013/CP1203/CT0001)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420
Virgin Status Assessment of Plješevica Forest in Bosnia - Herzegovina
Virgin forests are relatively rare in the European temperate zone. This is due to the continuous use of forest historically and to increasinghigh population densities. Virgin forests are forest where the structure and dynamics have developed entirely under natural conditions,without any human interference or influence. This article assesses the Plješevica forest in Bosnia Herzegovina to establish whether it canbe classified as virgin forest. The structure and components of the forest were assessed in a 1 ha sample plot and four 400m2 quadrats. Thevalues of the biodiversity indexes (as defined by Shannon and Weaver, Krebs and Meyer), species richness and evenness, the distributionof the different stand development stages and the proportion of dead wood lead to the conclusion that Plješevica forest presents a set ofstructural and dynamic characteristics close to the ones typical for virgin forests in Europe, so in order to maintain its status as such, in themeantime it should undergo a protection management programme