Pests and Pathogens of Urban Trees
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2021) | Viewed by 44161
Special Issue Editors
Interests: arthropod ecology and behavior; insect and mite pests and their natural enemies; predator–prey interactions; biological pest control; entomopathogenic fungi
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: fungal diseases of woody plants; pathogen biology; fungal taxonomy and diversity; plant protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Trees are very important elements of public open space, that is, city parks, gardens, urban forests, and other places whose primary function is to offer green space and recreation to residents and visitors. Compared to production forests, woody plant vegetation grown in and around human settlements is mostly valued for the following benefits: beauty, providing shade, reducing the urban heat island effect, and providing habitat for wildlife. However, urban trees are threatened by many pests and pathogens, both native and invasive species. For example, the ornamental function of thousands of horse chestnut trees in Europe is hampered every season by Cameraria ohridella infestation which causes substantial aesthetic damage to leaves and premature leaf shedding. In addition, the same tree species is attacked by Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi (the causal agent of bleeding canker), the pathogenic fungus Guignardia aesculi, and the powdery mildew species Erysiphe flexuosa. The combined infestation by these organisms can have a severe negative impact on horse chestnut tree health.
Growing trees close to buildings, streets, asphalt paths, and concrete-covered open spaces often lowers tree vigor due to soil compaction and the impermeability of the surface of the substrate under these trees to water and nutrients. The proximity to busy roads, factories, and other sources of pollution further weakens urban trees, which in turn become less resistant to pests and pathogens. Changes of abiotic factors such as temperature and humidity due to global warming are likely to affect the development and survival of the pests and pathogens, as well as their natural enemies, competitors, and vectors. It is also expected that climate change might have the potential to turn usually harmless species into damaging organisms, through effects on the host plant physiology. The combination of adverse abiotic factors and damage inflicted by native and non-native pests and pathogens might thus escalate tree health problems in municipal green space in future.
This Special Issue aims to present the recent advances in the knowledge on arthropod pests and pathogens specific to the trees grown in and around cities. Relevant topics include but are not limited to: diversity, new emerging and invasive species, population dynamics, dispersal, antagonistic interactions, the effect of natural enemies, pollution and climate change, pest management, methods, and simulation models.
This Special Issue will concentrate on the cutting-edge research in this field of insect, plant, and pathogen interactions; the detection and identification of tree pests and pathogens using innovative tools; as well as ecological and field studies in urban trees.
This Special Issue will accept studies from broad research topics related to pests and pathogens of urban trees. Studies conducted in the field are preferred, but laboratory studies as well as theoretical approaches (simulation modelling studies and literature reviews) are also of interest. Short Communications on methods or presenting preliminary but significant results will also be considered.
Dr. Rostislav Zemek
Dr. Katarína Pastirčáková
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- city parks
- ornamental trees
- tree pests
- tree pathogens
- invasive species
- population dynamics
- dispersal
- damage
- pest and disease management
- natural enemies
- arthropod–pathogen interactions
- climate change
- abiotic factors
- pollution
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