Essay - Forestry-sudden Oak Death Analysis and Review of Two Articles on...

Forestry-sudden oak death

Analysis and review of two articles on sudden oak death

Article *****e

1. Introduction

***** article entitled, Sudden oak death: endangering California and Oregon forest ecosystems by David M. Rizzo and Matteo Garbelotto provides a cle*****r and comprehensive overview and assessment of the serious problem of sudden ***** death.The article is also cautious, not only in its determination of ***** extent and the nature of this ***** in terms of ecological and related factors, but also in its balanced ***** of ***** range of the problem and the types of remedial actions that can be taken The article also analyses in detail the function*****g and ***** of Phytophthora ramorum pathogen in relation to concomitant environmental, ecological ***** site criteria.

2. The Problem

********** are a number of central problem areas that are noted and discussed in this paper. The first is the devastating effectiveness ***** the pathogen. Th***** disease has reached epic proportions in areas such as central California and has led to the death of thousands of healthy trees. ***** article also clearly outlines one of the central issues and problem ***** surrounding this pathogen; namely *****, "Our limited knowledge ***** compounds our concern over the long-term implications ***** this epidemic for the ecology of coastal *****s." 1

The article ***** emp*****izes the central ***** that the damage ***** ***** pathogen causes is intimately linked ***** the delicate and complex ecological balance in the areas concerned. This in turn relates to the fact that ***** pathogen also affects other biological entities. In essence one of the central problems is that it has a broad host range and that it also ***** "...***** all wood plant species in coastal forests." 1

This aspect has serious ***** for ***** understanding and treatment of the disease, as well as for the range and complexity of its impact on the trees and general *****. This in turn is also ***** to ***** problem ***** the secondary ***** of the d*****ease on other organisms such as insects, which play a vital role in the ma*****tenance ***** ecological *****.

3. Findings

***** one of the most significant findings in this overarching view ***** the disease is the way ***** the ***** infects ***** uses other hosts in the forest area. This aspect has already been briefly alluded to above and should be seen in the wider context of the general ecology ***** the region. The research ***** also indicate that this ***** is exacerbated by the potential for genetic variability and ***** possibility ***** evolutionary factors may lead to a more ***** strain of the pathogen.

Another finding that is ***** especial concern is the extent and the range of the damage caused by the pathogen. Th***** ***** applies to the ***** ecosystem as well as ***** the trees. As ***** author's state, since the pathogen was introduced in the *****920s, "...P cinnamomi has virtually eliminated most tree species over hundreds of ***** of hectares of ***** jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests *****