Promoting resilience of UK tree species to novel pests and pathogens: ecological and evolutionary solutions

Led by Dr Stephen Cavers, Natural Environment Research Council, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Trees face a variety of challenges to their health from many different threats, often at the same time. To find a sustainable long-term strategy for keeping our trees healthy, the range of real and potential threats to tree health need to be considered, along with the trees’ potential to adapt. This not only includes recognising important pests and pathogens, but also understanding how trees are adapted to their environment, how populations evolve and the impact of other pressures such as climate change and habitat fragmentation. These issues need to be understood in a physical, social and economic context so that workable management options can be identified.

 Using the example of Scots pine, an important native tree species, this project will assess variation in three key threat species: Dothistroma needle blight, the pine-tree lappet moth and pine pitch canker. It will test variation in Scots pine’s resistance to these threats and, using new and existing field trials, measure the extent to which Scots pine populations may be able to adapt. At the same time, by working with the public and with those who manage and use trees, the researchers hope to find ways to use the biological information to make change happen on the ground. Although Scots pine will be the case study species, the objective of the project is to create an experimental template and online resources for gathering similar information in other tree species. The researchers hope this can lay the groundwork for a comprehensive synthesis of information on all of the UK’s important tree species, and help to improve the resilience of forests across the country.

Project website  www.protree.net

This project is in partnership with the University of Aberdeen, The University of Edinburgh, SRUC, Royal Botanic Gardens, The James Hutton Institute and Forest Research.