Summary: This project will compile literature and synthesize known information concerning climate, climate change, and forest diseases in the Western United States. For the Western States, the document will summarize what is known about climate’s influence (temperature and moisture primarily) on forest fungi, bacteria, nematodes, other microbes, and abiotic damage agents. The objectives are to (1) compile and synthesize information on climate and forest disease relationships; (2) provide science-based forest disease information for climate change papers and presentations; (3) build collaboration between forest pathologists working on climate change; 4) determine future needs for research, management, and extension to address climate change and forest diseases; and (5) determine and articulate risks to forest health from diseases under various climate change scenarios (deferred to 2008). In this effort, the following concepts will be explored for their influence on forest pathogens: (1) phenological change (such as movement west of Spruce Budworm); (2) habitat changes—increased tree mortality in a specific tree size and species, favoring decay organisms; (3) climate changes that favor a disease agent ( i.e., El Nino and sudden oak death, Phytopthora ramorum ); (4) warmer temperatures eliminating freezing conditions or snow pack (i.e., Alaska Yellow Cedar decline); and (5) weather extremes and pathogens—hurricane winds moving the citrus canker pathogen.

Project ID: FY07TS32