Ash die back the status today and possible answers to the problem.

1. Ash Dieback
Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus
Markus Petz
Institut für
Wald-, Umwelt- und Ressourcenpolitik - BOKU

2. Presentation Outline
 Biological background
 Health measures
 Impact
 Society & reactions
 Scientific questions

3. Taxonomy
1982 Lambertella albida
2006 Chalara fraxinea
2009 DNA & morphological testing - related to
Hymenoscyphus albidus
2010 Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus
due to molecular genetics
Media & Forestry Commission
use Chalara ash dieback
Biological background

4. EEpidemologyp
Fraxinus spp. F. excelsior, F. angustifolia
F. mandschurica – low pathology
cf Dutch Elm
Disease
Ophiostoma spp.
&
Neolithic
elm decline
Biological background

5. Diagnosis
Fungi: Ascomycota
Fall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sI7hgFZ-4g&feature=youtu.be
Spring http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuU8_e0Vw8Q
dead tops wilt lesions black leaves
Biological background

6. Infected woods
Do not remove any plant material (firewood, sticks, leaves or
cuttings) from the woodland
Before leaving the woodland, clean soil, mud, leaves and other
plant material from footwear, clothing, dogs, horses, the
wheels and tyres of bicycles, baby buggies, carriages and
other vehicles, and remove any leaves which are sticking to
your car
Before visiting other countryside sites, parks, garden centres,
nurseries, thoroughly wash footwear, wheels and tyres in
soapy water
Follow the instructions on any signs
Health measures

7. Ecological implications
“Ash dieback poses a major threat to European biodiversity because of
the keystone role of F. excelsior in floodplain forest ecosystems in
Europe.“
Red List Sweden
Butterflies, moss, lichens, land molluscs
Pioneer species on grasslands.
Ancient ash trees – little studied
Carbon sequesterization
Impact

8. Economic implications
 Further spread possible to USA, Med
 Nursery quarantines / More local provenances
 Useful tree, furniture, handles, floors
 Tree removal – if dangerous
 Replant, monitor and screening
Impact

9. Ash is culturally significant
Society & reactions

10. Citizen science
http://ashtag.org/ http://oadb.tsl.ac.uk/
Society & reactions

12. European research
Society & reactions
4 Working groups: Pathogen Host Silviculture
Dissemination & Knoweldge Gaps

13. What we don‘t know?
?Scientific questions

14. Further info
European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) dieback – A conservation
biology challenge, Pautasso, M - Biological Conservation 2012
www.fraxback.eu/index.php?
option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=435
www.euforgen.org/about_euforgen/news/can_genetic_diversity_
save_ash_forests.html