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Exotic Forest Diseases
Article #212, August 2014

     Exotic pests are one of the more serious threats to forest health.  While few exotics pose serious challenges, there are some insects, diseases, and plants that do.  Eradication is possible if small infestations can be detected early.

     In this article series, the more serious exotic forest pests will be reviewed.  Over 40,000 exotic species have been introduced into North America and most have proven to be useful to humans and benign to the natural environment.  Most exotic introductions fail to establish, but some have grown invasive and damaging.
     The oak wilt fungus (Ceratocystis fagacearum) leads to a wilt that kills oak trees quickly.  Its origin has yet to be determined but most scientists agree that it has exotic origins.  Anytime during the summer, oak trees will turn brown and drop their leaves within two to three weeks.  The wilt begins at the top of the tree. 
     The fungus kills its host, so must move along or die.  The fungus will travel underground from tree to tree through connected root systems until all connected oaks are killed.  Picnic beetles spread the fungus overland by feeding on sap from fresh tree wounds.  This is why it’s important to avoid wounding or pruning oaks during the growing season, especially before mid-August. 
     The oaks that die this season will produce fungal spore mats next spring.  Oaks that die early this year might produce the mats by the end of the summer.  The mats produce a thick “blister” that cracks open the bark, allowing a sweet smell to escape that attracts sap-feeding beetles.  Opening these cracks to reveal the spore mats and blister pads confirms the presence of the oak wilt fungus.  These recently killed trees need to be removed and properly disposed of. 
     To stop the underground spread of the fungus, the infected root network must be isolated from the healthy roots.  A vibratory plow, similar to a cable-layer, cuts five feet deep into the soil to sever these root systems.  Afterwards, all the oaks within the infected area must be cut and then either processed or destroyed.  The visual impact of the plow is minimal, but the removal of the oaks can cause a major change.
     Trees in the red oak group (pointy tipped leaves) are more susceptible than trees in the white oak group (blunt tipped leaves).  In fact, white oaks can be retained on-site.  Their root systems seldom graft and their tissues are more effective at blocking the internal spread of the fungus. 
     Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma spp.) was long classified in the same genus as oak wilt but has been recently renamed.  Dutch elm disease (DED) hit the Lake States hard in the 1960s and 1970s, killing much of the larger diameter American and red elms throughout the region, including magnificent street trees in our cities and towns. 
     DED is spread by very different small bark beetles.  Once elms reach about ten inches in diameter, they attract these beetles that can carry the DED spores.  There remain a significant number of elms in the Michigan landscape, roughly equivalent to species such as cottonwood, northern pin oak, tamarack, and balsam poplar. 
     Similar to oak wilt, infected elms begin to wilt near the top of the tree.  However, while most trees die quickly, others may take as long as two to three years.  DED fungus can also travel through root grafts. 
     Hickory decline is a complex of pathogens that includes an oak wilt related fungus (Ceratocystis smalleyi).  This is a newly identified fungal species.  Like oak wilt and DED, the fungus is associated with a bark beetle.  Drought stress and other pathogens also play a role in tree susceptibility. 
     The decline is characterized by thinning crowns and smaller, yellowish leaves.  Dozens of oblong cankers occur at beetle entry holes.  Bitternut hickory has been hit particularly hard, nearly eliminated in many areas. 
     Beech bark disease (BBD) was introduced from Europe in 1890 but was first identified in Michigan in 2002, although it was well-established by that time.  BBD involves two species of fungus and a “scale” insect.  The scales infest the tree bark and introduce the pathogens.  The fungi kill the living tissues of the trunk, resulting in top death.  Weak points in the trunk or large limbs can break, causing “beech snap”, which can be a threat to human lives and property. 
     BBD progression has been classed into three categories, advanced front, killing front, and the aftermath.  Few beech trees survive the spread, and those that have been identified have been used to help propagate BBD resistant nursery stock.  This stock may eventually be used to repopulate eligible forests with a beech component. 
     Exotic and invasive tree diseases have already had a major influence in our forested landscape.  Chestnut blight has been nearly eliminated; once the most common tree in the eastern United States.  White pine blister rust compromises the success of white pine in many areas.  Other serious exotic rusts, cankers, and blights have reduced or eliminated native tree species from many areas.   
     More information about Michigan forest pests can be found on the Upper Peninsula Tree Identification website and the Michigan DNR Forest Health website.

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Trailer
Bill Cook is an MSU Extension forester providing educational programming for the Upper Peninsula. His office is located at the MSU Forest Biomass Innovation Center near Escanaba. The Center is the headquarters for three MSU Forestry properties in the U.P., with a combined area of about 8,000 acres. He can be reached at cookwi@msu.edu or 906-786-1575.

Prepared by Bill Cook, Forester/Biologist, Michigan State University Extension, 6005 J Road, Escanaba, MI  49829
906-786-1575 (voice),  906-786-9370 (fax),  e-mail:  cookwi@msu.edu

Use / reprinting of these articles is encouraged. Please notify Bill Cook.
By-line should read "Bill Cook, MSU Extension" Please use the article trailer whenever possible.

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