Sentences with phrase «against pathogens gradually»

The reason could be that plant defenses against pathogens gradually weaken after a fire, Moritz and Odion speculate — for instance, from stiffer competition among plants as they grow, decreased chemical defenses as they age, or depletion of soil nutrients.The findings suggest that California's fight against forest fires over many decades may have precipitated or accelerated the outbreak, and that perhaps controlled burning could be used to halt it, the authors say.