Trees are important to the environmental health of cities through their capacity to improve air quality, provide cooling via shade and transpiration, and foster natural beauty. New research in Plant-Environment Interactions reveals how the widespread plant pathogen Phytophthora affects urban trees, specifically Common Lime trees.
Using numerous tree sensors, investigators found that infected trees exhibited reduced water use and stem growth compared with healthy trees, but some still managed to maintain growth and cooling benefits.
The findings highlight the complexity that tree managers and policy makers must consider when attempting to control disease spread while maintaining the benefits of trees in cities. There are potential trade-offs to consider when weighing tree removal to limit disease spread against the benefits provided by well-functioning diseased trees, particularly large-stature, mature trees that have the greatest capacity to enrich urban areas.
"The impact of Phytophthora disease on the studied street trees was variable, even under extreme heat events that occurred in the UK in 2022, highlighting possible tensions between tree disease management and ecosystem service provision," said corresponding author Eleanor Absalom, PhD, of the University of Sheffield, in the UK. "Given the growing threats of disease outbreaks and climate change, a better understanding of the impact of Phytophthora on urban trees is critical to maintain resilient urban forests."
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pei3.70054
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