Two sleuthing scientists track down the cause of sudden oak death, a new disease that threatens every oak, redwood, and Douglas fir in the country (discovermagazine.com)
Both of these important food sources are at risk — sugar pines are vulnerable to white pine blister rust, a fungal pathogen, while oaks are currently at risk from fire exclusion, mule deer predation and potentially a pathogen causing sudden oak death. (sciencedaily.com)
Since 1994, thousands of oak trees have succumbed to sudden oak death in 14 counties in California and Oregon. (sciencemag.org)