Exploring Beech tree disease at Yale University
Beech trees are crucial components of ecosystems, providing various benefits such as food for animals, timber for wood products, and serving as a fundamental component in sustaining other plant species. However, these trees are facing a serious threat known as Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). The disease, which was initially documented in 2012 in the Midwest, is associated with a nematode called Litylenchus crenatae mccannii and is rapidly spreading across central and northeast regions of North America.
A team of researchers, led by Craig Brodersen, a professor of plant physiological ecology, and Leila Fletcher, a postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of the Environment, has delved into the impacts of BLD on beech trees at a cellular level. Their work has provided novel insights into how the disease affects leaves and has offered a mechanistic explanation for the decline of infected trees.
Brodersen's interest in the disease was piqued during a walk in the woods with his children, where he noticed the infected trees. Motivated by a desire to understand the disease's effects on these majestic trees, the team embarked on a comprehensive study. By examining leaves from both uninfected trees at Yale-Myers Forest and infected trees at West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven, the researchers identified how the nematode influences the physical and hormonal regulation of leaf development, resulting in the distinctive dark green stripes on infected leaves.
The team's analysis at the cellular level revealed intriguing findings. Comparisons between infected and healthy leaves showed that infected leaves had wider veins and lower density. This structural change led to a 249% increase in thickness in the diseased portion of the leaf compared to the healthy portion. Moreover, the researchers found that photosynthetic rates in infected leaves were significantly lower, with a reduction of approximately 61%, and respiration rates increased as the percentage of affected leaf tissue increased. These changes were attributed to reduced leaf area for photosynthetic tissues, stomatal deformation, and reduced stomatal density, all of which contributed to the decreased photosynthetic rates observed in symptomatic leaves.
The study, recently published in Forest Pathology, highlighted that BLD, possibly in conjunction with other foliar pathogens and canopy thinning, reduces the tree's carbon assimilation capacity. This reduction can potentially lead to tree mortality by depleting stored carbon. The researchers hope that these findings will contribute to a better understanding of the disease and aid in the development of strategies to manage BLD.
The study was a collaborative effort, with contributions from YSE PhD students Aleca Borsuk, Ana Fanton, and Joseph Zailaa, as well as Jennifer Richburg '24 and Kate M. Johnson.
Overall, the research sheds light on the destructive impacts of BLD on beech trees and emphasizes the importance of continued investigation to develop effective management strategies for this emerging threat.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1036490
A team of researchers, led by Craig Brodersen, a professor of plant physiological ecology, and Leila Fletcher, a postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of the Environment, has delved into the impacts of BLD on beech trees at a cellular level. Their work has provided novel insights into how the disease affects leaves and has offered a mechanistic explanation for the decline of infected trees.
Brodersen's interest in the disease was piqued during a walk in the woods with his children, where he noticed the infected trees. Motivated by a desire to understand the disease's effects on these majestic trees, the team embarked on a comprehensive study. By examining leaves from both uninfected trees at Yale-Myers Forest and infected trees at West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven, the researchers identified how the nematode influences the physical and hormonal regulation of leaf development, resulting in the distinctive dark green stripes on infected leaves.
The team's analysis at the cellular level revealed intriguing findings. Comparisons between infected and healthy leaves showed that infected leaves had wider veins and lower density. This structural change led to a 249% increase in thickness in the diseased portion of the leaf compared to the healthy portion. Moreover, the researchers found that photosynthetic rates in infected leaves were significantly lower, with a reduction of approximately 61%, and respiration rates increased as the percentage of affected leaf tissue increased. These changes were attributed to reduced leaf area for photosynthetic tissues, stomatal deformation, and reduced stomatal density, all of which contributed to the decreased photosynthetic rates observed in symptomatic leaves.
The study, recently published in Forest Pathology, highlighted that BLD, possibly in conjunction with other foliar pathogens and canopy thinning, reduces the tree's carbon assimilation capacity. This reduction can potentially lead to tree mortality by depleting stored carbon. The researchers hope that these findings will contribute to a better understanding of the disease and aid in the development of strategies to manage BLD.
The study was a collaborative effort, with contributions from YSE PhD students Aleca Borsuk, Ana Fanton, and Joseph Zailaa, as well as Jennifer Richburg '24 and Kate M. Johnson.
Overall, the research sheds light on the destructive impacts of BLD on beech trees and emphasizes the importance of continued investigation to develop effective management strategies for this emerging threat.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1036490
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