Transcript Cryogenic methods used to biodiversity conservation of common ash and three elm species in the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank Paulina Hrydziuszko Małgorzata Pałucka Czesław Kozioł 18th.

Cryogenic methods used to biodiversity conservation
of common ash and three elm species
in the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank
Paulina Hrydziuszko
Małgorzata Pałucka
Czesław Kozioł
18th Cold Hardiness Seminar in Poland
Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences
Kórnik 14-15 May 2013
18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
"Conservation of biodiversity, through the conservation of ex situ common
ash and three elm species in Lower Silesia in Natura 2000 areas"
 Why did we choose ash and elm trees to protect
biodiversity?
 Ash dieback in Europe.
 Elms dieback in Europe.
 Examples of ash and elm protection in Poland.
 Assumptions of our project.
 Expected results.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
The location of common ash and three elm species in Lower Silesia in Natura 2000 areas.
Range of the project covers an
area
of ​Lower Silesia.
Species covered by the project
have their positions on the
surface protected areas
(Natura 2000 sites, nature reserves).
The Natura 2000
ares
Forest Districts with
habitats of common ash
Forest Districts with
habitats of elms
Nature reserves of elms and
ashes
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
"Conservation of biodiversity, through the conservation of ex situ common
ash and three elm species in Lower Silesia in Natura 2000 areas"
 Dramatically rapid rate of extinction of the common ash from the 90’s of the XXth
century and elms from the 20's and then in the 70's of XXth century, caused high
concern to the survival of these species in many European countries.
 The reasons of ash and elm trees dying were carefully diagnosed. In accordance
to changes in the natural environment, such as river valleys conversion, riparian
drainage, flood barriers constructions preventing flooding of the natural habitats,
but the main cause are fungal pathogens.
 Loss of biodiversity of elm-ash habitats was an inspiration for the Kostrzyca Forest
Gene Bank to protect these species from extinction by implementation
of the project entitled "Conservation of biodiversity, through the conservation
of ex situ common ash and three elm species in Lower Silesia in Natura 2000
areas".
 The main objective of the project is ex situ conservation of three species of elm
and common ash through the cryogenic storage of seeds and shoots with dormant
buds. The first part of the project will cover the terrain of Lower Silesia.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Ash dieback in Europe - short history
 1992 - first signs of severe dieback of ash in north-eastern Poland
(Stocki 2001, Sierota et al. 1993)
 After 1992 - the disease has been observed in other parts of Poland
(Kowalski 2001, Przybył 2002) over an area of 10,000 hectares
(Gil et al. 2006)
 Ash dieback in Europe has been observed in Norway, Denmark,
Lithuania, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany,
Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia
and Switzerland
 In 2012, the first signs of dieback are found in the British Isles
(Coghlan 2012)
 The speed of disease spreading according to Euforgen is 20-30 km
per year (Euforgen, News, 14.12.2012).
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Ash dieback in Europe - short history
 Austria - symptoms of F.excelsior L., F.angustifolia Vahl., F.ornus L. disease
 Slovenia, Romania, Czech Republic, Germany - symptoms of F.excelsior L.,
F. angustifolia Vahl. disease [Schumacher et al. 2007, Jankovsky,
Holdenrieder 2009]
 Estonia - symptoms of F.excelsior L. F.mandshurica Rupr., F.nigra,
F. pennsylvanica and F. americana L.
 By the end of 2012, there was no ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea
on any other continent outside Europe.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Changes in forest area of common ash as the dominant species [ha] in the years
2001-2011 based on data from the General Directorate of State Forests in Poland
Changes in forest area of common ash as the dominant species [ha]
34,000.00
33,500.00
33,000.00
32,500.00
32,000.00
31,500.00
31,000.00
30,500.00
30,000.00
2,001
2,002
2,004
Subsequent years
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2,011
18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Symptoms of ash dieback
Cortical necrosis,
wood cancers,
local hypertrophy
The fruiting bodies of the
pathogen Hymenoscyphus
pseudoalbidus (anamorphic
stage-Chalara fraxinea
(Kowalski 2006)
Discoloration of wood in
the form of sectors and
discoloration in the
shape of the letter "T"
Wilting, discoloration
and local or full
necrosis of leaves and
their premature
precipitation
Dieback of whole
branches or their peaks,
irregular leaves of crown
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Symptoms of ash dieback
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidusTeleomorph stage of the pathogen. Pathogen's fruiting bodies form (VII-IX) at last year's ash leaf
nerves, produce spores spread by wind. The spores infect the tree, starting the process of dying.
Chalafa fraxineaPathogen's vegetative stage (anamorphic). Grows on infected fallen leaves. It produces a form of survival of the
pathogen, which in the summer of next year will produce fruiting bodies Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Genetic resources of Fraxinus excelsior L. in the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank
Genetic resources of Fraxinus excelsior L. in the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank
(01.03.2013 r.)
Species
Forest District
Szczecinek
Fraxinus
excelsior L.
Szczecinek
Type and number of
the seed base
Mass [kg]
Conditions of
storage
plus tree 3143
0,5600
-10°C
plus tree 3135
0,7508
-10°C
plus tree 3139
0,1578
-10°C
plus tree 4784
plus seed stand
MP/2/31570/05
0,6662
-10°C
2,3100
-10°C
8,1360
-10°C
9,8900
-196°C
plus seed stand
MP/2/31254/05
Mircze
Opole
Summary
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Seed stand
MP/1/5343/05
22,4708
18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
DUTCH ELM DISEASE (DED)
 Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi
(Ascomycota) affecting elm trees and is spread by the elm bark beetle.
 Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been
accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native
populations of elms, which had not had the opportunity to evolve resistance to
the disease.
 The factors impacts of DED are ascomycete microfungi. Three species are now
recognized:
 Ophiostoma ulmi, which afflicted Europe in 1910, reaching to North America by imported wood in
1928,
 Ophiostoma himal-ulmi, a species endemic to the western Himalaya,
 Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, an extremely virulent species which has been first described in Europe and
North America in the 1940s and which devastated elms in both areas since the late 1960s.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Symptoms of Dutch Elm Disease
 DED symptoms are the result of the infection in the vascular system of the tree
(system conducting water).
 Infection causes clogging of vascular tissues and obstructing regular flow of water
to the crown of the tree.
 Symptoms are visible on the leaves, branches and stems. Final outcome
of the disease is the death of the whole tree.
 Symptoms are often observed in early summer, but they may be present
at any time of the growing season.
Early symptoms
- still green but wilting leaves
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Summer - brown, wilted
leaves
Dieback of tree
18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Changes in elm forest area
Unfortunately, the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank does not have sufficient data on changes in
the area occupied by different species of elms. In the State Forests National Forest Holding
elms are treated only as a admixed species, not as the main tree species.
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Conservation of the ash and elms in Poland
Protection recommendations (Chief Inspector for Environmental Protection) on the type of habitat:
Riparian forests of oak and elm-ash (Code habitats 91F0) after monitoring research in the years
2009-2011
(monitoring of species and habitats with particular emphasis on Special Areas of Conservation Nature 2000)
 Improving the hydrological regime of riparian forests (e.g. reconstruction
of levees system-restore the effect of inundation)
 Breeding activities, such as artificial replenishment of species which natural
renewing is difficult (e.g. oaks along the Bug River)
 Proposed modification procedure in stands areas where ash dominates
and dieback is observed
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Conservation of the ash and elms in Poland
To maintain habitat 91F0 it is necessary to:
 Limit removal of ash trees, even at the cost of leaving
some of them to the natural decay of the forest,
 Extend the species composition in habitats
 In areas where riparian forests have uniform-age oaks
as dominant species, it is suggested to exclude some
of them from forest management
… What about the harvest of the seed?...
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Assumptions for the project which will be implemented in the Kostrzyca FGB
1. Verification of the number of individuals and their health
at selected positions.
2. Collection of seeds and stems with buds ash resting
for cryogenic storage.
3. Cryotherapy of common ash seeds to inactivate
the pathogen.
4. Thermotherapy of common ash seeds to inactivate
the pathogen.
5. Dissemination of the project results in the form
of publications and brochures.
6. DNA isolation to prepare DNA data bank for the future
molecular research.
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18th Cold Hardiness Seminar Poland
Assumptions for the project which will be implemented in the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank
 The project will be co-financed by the Regional Fund for Environmental
Protection and Water Management in Wroclaw
 Duration of the project covers the period: 2013 - 2016
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Thank you for your attention
The Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank
Miłków 300
58-535 Miłków
75 7131048
lbg@ lbg.lasy.gov.pl
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