Categories · Threats
Introduced pests or diseases
The increase in global trade has assisted the translocation of insects and fungi which threatens natural (and cultivated) forest health and biodiversity worldwide. There has been a notable recent increase in the spread of these invasive plant pathogens.
An example of the devastation caused include the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) which was introduced in the 1950s to Virginia on nursery stock and is responsible for destroying large forested areas of Tsuga caroliniana. More devastating has been the Balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae) which has caused the death of millions of trees of Abies fraseri in eastern USA. The extinction of Torreya taxifolia within its natural range is thought to be inevitable which is partially due to fungal pathogens. In some cases climate change has influenced the increase of the threat by making climates more hospitable to exotic pests and diseases. For example In the Turks and Caicos Islands an epidemic of an accidentally introduced exotic scale insect (Toumeyella parvicornis) has in recent years led to a 90% loss of the three subpopulations of Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis on these islands.
There are 34 taxa in the category – Invasive species, Introduced pests or diseases:
A relictual species confined to the Santa Lucia mountains of southern California. It is potentially susceptible to indirect effects of climate change and any further change in its status could lead to a listing as Endangered
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Distributed in three States of eastern USA but as a result of severe infestation from the Balsam woolly adelgid, only one population remains unaffected… Read full species entry >
Endemic to four mountains in South Korea, the population suffers a range of threats including climate change, introduced pathogens and invasive native and non-native plants… Read full species entry >
The Spanish fir has two subspecies distributed in southern Spain and northern Morocco where threats include fire, grazing and climate change.… Read full species entry >
Endemic to the Mt. Panié range in northern New Caledonia where recent research has found that the decline and loss of old-growth trees is probably due to a combination of factors including root damage by feral pigs, pathogen attack and climate change.… Read full species entry >
Endemic to Australia (Norfolk Island Group) where historical logging and forest clearance significantly reduced the population. Today the main threats relate to the impacts of invasive non-native species.… Read full species entry >
One of 13 species of Araucaria endemic to New Caledonia where it is restricted to less than five locations. There has been a recent decline in the health of some high altitude stands.… Read full species entry >
Endemic to Tasmania where the main threats are fire, grazing of regeneration and dieback caused by Phytophthora… Read full species entry >
A genus of a single species endemic to Argentina and Chile where it is relatively widely distribution. There has been a significant reduction in its population due to Phytophthora austrocedrae.
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