The potential impact of climate change and forest management practices on Heterobasidion spp. infection distribution in northwestern Russia - a case study in the Republic of Karelia

Abstract

Heterobasidion spp. is considered as a major pathogen which causes butt and root rots and impairs the forest health. The increasing Earth's temperature could be favourable for Heterobasidion spp. in terms of the increased duration of dispersal period. The results of the field work showed that about 35% of visually observed stumps in the southern part of Karelia are rotten, although the laboratory analysis showed that 6% from the total number of observed stumps were infected by Heterobasidion spp. Moreover, there are evident long-term trends of increased average annual temperature and number of days per year with mean temperature above +5°C in the Republic of Karelia. It has positive effects on possible distribution of the pathogen and, consequently increased damage to the wood caused by Heterobasidion spp.

Keywords

• butt rot
• root rot
• pathogen
• decay
• coniferous