Ecological consequences of an exotic fungal disease in eastern U.S. hardwood forests |
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Authors: | Eric J. Holzmueller Shibu Jose Michael A. Jenkins |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, 1205 Lincoln Drive, Mail Code 4411, Carbondale, IL 62901, United States;2. Center for Agroforestry, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 203 ABNR Bldg, Columbia, MO 65201, United States;3. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States |
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Abstract: | Exotic pests and pathogens can cause extensive mortality of native species resulting in cascading effects within an ecosystem. As ecosystems lose species to exotic enemies, ecosystem function may be disrupted if the ecological roles are not filled by the remaining species. To illustrate this concept, this paper examines the impacts of an exotic fungus (Discula dectructiva) on flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), historically a common understory tree species in eastern U.S. hardwood forests. Recent studies indicate that dogwood plays an important role in the health and ecological integrity of forest ecosystems throughout the eastern U.S. by increasing the availability of calcium in the biota-rich surface horizons of forest soils. However, Discula destructiva causes a disease, dogwood anthracnose, which can rapidly kill dogwood trees. This paper also illustrates how past fire has increased dogwood density and improved tree health in areas infected with anthracnose, suggesting that prescribed fire may offer a tool for land managers to maintain dogwood as a component in eastern U.S. hardwood forests by shifting the “ideal” disturbance regime of this previously fire-intolerant species. |
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Keywords: | Anthracnose Biological invasion Cornus florida Calcium Flowering dogwood Forest health Prescribed fire |
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