Milder and wetter winters, followed by increased spring rainfall, are likely to enhance the survival and infection potential of many tree pathogens. Hotter, drier summers leading to drought stress in trees will also increase their susceptibility to disease and expand the distribution range of some pathogens. The increased incidence and severity of diseases caused by Phytophthora species reduces the benefits that trees provide, including climate change mitigation.
The six main foliar pathogens already causing significant damage to conifers and broadleaved tree species in the UK are described along with the likely impact of climate change on their spread and severity.
The changing climate presents a challenge for forest planning and forest management in England because the projected increases in temperature, changes in the seasonality of rainfall, and an increased frequency of extreme events add complexity to species selection and silvicultural practice. By actively adjusting forest management now, to anticipate future changes, we can hope to […]
More biodiverse woodlands are better able to resist or adapt to threats, such as climate change. This enhanced resilience supports the continuity of woodlands and the ecosystem services they provide. Biodiversity is the variation at different levels of biological organisation - the genes within a species; the species within a community; and the diversity between communities and ecosystems.
Climate change is now one of the greatest global challenges, and research is under way to establish the likely impacts on many aspects of the environment. Forestry Commission Wales has commissioned Forest Research to determine how forests and forestry in Wales will be affected by climate change. This Research Note provides an initial synopsis of […]
A suggested way for British woodlands to combat the problems they are facing due to climate change and exotic pests and diseases is to grow a range of novel exotic tree species. Here we examine the arguments for doing this in the context of British forestry where the objectives are either commercial timber production or conservation of biodiversity.
Long-term research finds Pacific silver fir has great potential as a forestry species in Britain
With our climate changing and an increasing range of pests and diseases affecting trees in Britain, it is important forest managers diversify the tree species they plant and use a wider range of forest management systems (e.g. continuous cover forestry).
Pacific silver […]
• Novel dendrochronological modelling was developed to explore oak stem growth trends.
• Trees with long-term AOD symptoms may have been predisposed many decades earlier.
• Diseased trees struggle to take advantage of favourable growing conditions.
• Historic episodes of stress may impact the future resilience of oaks to disturbance.
This study identified 288 medium or high drought risk forest sites in eastern Scotland, 125 of which include Sitka spruce as a major component. Sitka spruce is intolerant of drought and is known to have previously experienced drought damage such as tree mortality and stem cracking in eastern Scotland. Cases of direct drought damage, together […]
As our climate warms, the pressures on global forest ecosystems from extreme climate events are expected to increase across much of the world (Anderegg et al., 2020; Brodribb et al., 2020). Of particular concern is the increasing threat to tree health and productivity posed by drought. Despite a predominantly cool maritime climate, forest ecosystems in […]
Canker-inducing pathogens kill the inner, living bark of trees resulting in poorer growth or mortality of affected individuals which limits their contribution to climate change mitigation.
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