Article
Ecology
Jeremy S. Johnson, Richard A. Sniezko
Summary: White pine blister rust, caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Cronartium ribicola, is a significant threat to white pines in North America, but genetic resistance and quantitative disease resistance have been observed in southwestern white pine species. Some families of P. strobiformis show high levels of resistance, particularly in terms of reduced severity of infection, fewer stem symptoms, and increased bark reactions, providing valuable information for forest managers involved in restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Richard A. Sniezko, Jun -Jun Liu
Summary: Research shows that nine five-needle white pine species native to the U.S. and Canada are highly susceptible to white pine blister rust, but genetic resistance has been documented in eight of the species. Developing populations of trees with durable genetic resistance is seen as a fundamental step in restoring white pine species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Ehren R. Moler, Keith Reinhardt, Richard A. Sniezko, Ken Aho
Summary: This study investigated the role of fungal endophytes in whitebark pine seedlings, and found that endophytic community composition was associated with seedling spatial proximity and maternal seed sources, while inoculation treatment did not affect the endophytic communities and no biocontrol effect was detected.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard A. Sniezko, Jeremy S. Johnson, Angelia Kegley, Robert Danchok
Summary: Forests globally are being damaged by non-native pathogens and pests, and genetic resistance programs can help restore forests and protect affected species.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Erin Shanahan, Wilson J. Wright, Kathryn M. Irvine
Summary: To accurately assess ecological indicators, monitoring programs need to re-evaluate statistical methods, consider model-based approaches, and adapt sampling designs as necessary. Failure to account for observation errors and incorporate environmental or biological factors can lead to inaccurate results and hinder understanding of changes over time. Additionally, ongoing evaluation and updating of sampling design and analytical procedures is crucial to ensure the relevance of monitoring programs.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Charlie Cartwright, Richard A. Sniezko, Michael Murray, Iain Reid
Summary: The endangered status of whitebark pine in Canada necessitates the restoration efforts by the Province of British Columbia. The development of well-adapted parent trees with genetic resistance to white pine blister rust is crucial for the successful regeneration of whitebark pine in BC. Common garden tests have been conducted to select parental genotypes for future seedlots, and the results show the genetic effects for rust resistance and height growth. The correlation between population climate and field performance is significant, especially in harsh test sites. Long-term objectives include identifying rust resistance parent trees, establishing climate-based seed transfer guidelines, and assessing variation in rust hazard and trait durability.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jun-Jun Liu, Anna W. Schoettle, Richard A. Sniezko, Kristen M. Waring, Holly Williams, Arezoo Zamany, Jeremy S. Johnson, Angelia Kegley
Summary: This study compared the major gene resistance (MGR) in southwestern white pine and limber pine by analyzing SNP markers. The results showed that most SNPs in limber pine were transferable to southwestern white pine, and some SNPs linked to Cr4 were significantly associated with Cr3-controlled traits in southwestern white pine. The findings suggest the potential use of SNP markers for distinguishing resistant genotypes in white pines.
Article
Plant Sciences
Stefan Zeglen, Ron S. Diprose
Summary: The study in British Columbia found that pruning did not significantly affect the mortality rate of five-needle pines, indicating the treatment efficacy was ineffective in both coastal and interior sites.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Michael P. Murray, Jenny Berg, David J. Huggard
Summary: Research in southeastern British Columbia found that retained mature whitebark pine trees experienced high mortality rates in the initial five years post-harvest, but survivorship significantly improved by eight years post-harvest. Factors such as tree height, crown length, disease cankers, rodent wounding, and surrounding retained trees were positively associated with survivorship, while slope and aspect showed little effect. Recommendations were made to select retention trees carefully, ensure an adequate number of neighboring trees, and avoid predominant storm wind directions when planning harvest operations in forests with endangered species.
Article
Ecology
Phillip J. van Mantgem, Elizabeth R. Milano, Joan Dudney, Jonathan C. B. Nesmith, Amy G. Vandergast, Harold S. J. Zald
Summary: Whitebark pine in the Sierra Nevada of California is facing threats from an introduced pathogen, native bark beetles, and a rapidly warming climate. However, during a recent period of drought, stem growth of whitebark pine remained mostly positive to neutral, possibly due to reduced snowpack. The growth response of whitebark pine may be influenced by genotypic variation in climate-associated genes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nickolas E. E. Kichas, Gregory T. T. Pederson, Sharon M. M. Hood, Richard G. G. Everett, David B. B. McWethy
Summary: This study evaluated the relationship between biological trends in tree growth, resin duct anatomy, and climatic variability in high-elevation whitebark pine trees. The findings suggest that warmer and drier conditions can lead to increased growth and defense in these trees, with climate variables explaining a substantial proportion of variation in tree diameter growth and resin duct anatomy (around 20-31%).
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Patrycja Kulak, Hubert Lachowicz, Tadeusz Moskalik, Jacek Pietka, Monika Aniszewska, Arkadiusz Gendek
Summary: This study aims to examine the effects of Scots pine blister rust on the quality of Scots pine wood. The results show that the fungus has local effects and does not hinder the use of wood, especially the unaffected parts. The statistical analysis reveals that the fungus increases wood density but significantly diminishes its strength parameters. The structural properties of infected and healthy wood are similar and higher than the average values for Scots pine. The rust decreases wood homogeneity, affecting the quality and yield of timber.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jessica W. Wright, Kristian A. Stevens, Paul Hodgskiss, Charles H. Langley
Summary: Sugar pine, a key species in montane forests, has experienced population decline due to white pine blister rust (WPBR). The Cr1 gene in sugar pine is associated with resistance to WPBR, but its association with genomic SNPs varies geographically.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nancy H. Parra, Teresa J. Lorenz, Taza D. Schaming, Alison Scoville
Summary: Whitebark pine plays a vital role in colonizing disturbed areas and providing food for birds and mammals, but its populations have been declining. Despite the increase in blister rust infection, the density of live whitebark pine trees did not significantly decrease due to regeneration. However, the density of whitebark pine seedlings significantly decreased and the density of whitebark pine snags significantly increased.
WESTERN NORTH AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joan Dudney, Claire E. Willing, Adrian J. Das, Andrew M. Latimer, Jonathan C. B. Nesmith, John J. Battles
Summary: Climate change driven shifts in the distribution of white pine blister rust were observed in this study, with the disease's climate optimum moving to higher elevations from 1996 to 2016. The study also highlighted the important role of host-pathogen-drought interactions in modifying disease prevalence, contributing to changes in infection risk at different elevations. Variations in aridity across different topographic gradients were found to strongly mediate plant disease range shifts in response to climate change.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)