Fungal disease incidence along tree diversity gradients depends on latitude in European forests.

ABSTRACT: European forests host a diversity of tree species that are increasingly threatened by fungal pathogens, which may have cascading consequences for forest ecosystems and their functioning. Previous experimental studies suggest that foliar and root pathogen abundance and disease severity decrease with increasing tree species diversity, but evidences from natural forests are rare. Here, we tested whether foliar fungal disease incidence was negatively affected by tree species diversity in different forest types across Europe. We measured the foliar fungal disease incidence on 16 different tree species in 209 plots in six European countries, representing a forest-type gradient from the Mediterranean to boreal forests. Forest plots of single species (monoculture plots) and those with different co

SUBMITTER: Nguyen D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4788975 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature