West€rnWildlife Vol 9, No. 3

DIEBACKCAUSED BY PHYTOPHTHORA CINNAMOMI:what is at riskand what can we save?

Joanna Young

Dieback is arguably the Examples of Impact greatestthreat to biodiversity across the south-west of The diseasehas ravaged Westem Australia. Of the many ecosystems and in 5700 speciesknown some areas where a little to occur in the Southwest of the history is known, BotanicalProvince some 2300 the last individuals ofsome species havebeenclassified as susceptiblespecies, such as susceptibleto Phytophthorq thebanksias and grass trees, cinnamomi; the soilborne are dying. There are many organism which kills by examples of the chronic destroying the root systems situation throughout the ofplants. south-west: P hytop h t ho ra c innamomi .The understoreyof (Pc) was first identified as muchof thejarrah forest has the culprit causing dieback lost a significantnumber of in jarrah the forest over 40 susceptiblespecies over a years ago. Jarah trees and vast area. susceptiblespecies in theforest .The Stirling Range understoreysuch as National Park has been were dying. What is so sadis devastated. Both species that it continuesto spreadand and communities are now ' be spread across the south- threatenedwith extinction. west,being transporled in soil .The once-common and water. Its spreadhas been attenuatq is now relentless and unfortunately Typical diebacksite injarrah forest representedby only a few people either grasp the Photo: Dieback Working Group smatteringof individuals magnitude of this biological in the Two Peoples Bay disasteror appreciatethe great other speciesofthe generalisted in Nature Reserue. range plant of species being lost Table I arealso susceptible.When . Thickets of B anksiq from u oodlands, heaths and forests. patchesofvegelation made up ofa quercifolia, once common Positive isolations of the pathogen diversemix ofspeciescollapse and throughout the south-west and have now beenmade from Eneabba die,Pc maywellbethe cause.Wanrr, particularly in the woodlands and in theNorthemAgricultural Region, moistconditionsaremostconducivc forest,are now hard to find. right though the southwest corner to the disease,so often are . Most, if not all, natural ofthe Stateto the eastofEsperance seentocollapse and die after summer populationsofBar lc ia co c c ine a are in Cape Arid National Park. Few rain. fhe diseaseis ofrenworst in inf'ected.Fine standsofthisAlbany people realiseho\ imporlanrit is plant communitiesgrowing onpoor banksiaare very hard to find. for us to all work to protect areas grey sands or poorly drained soil . CapeLe GrandeNationalPark that remain healthy and free of the profiles. Even in the jarrah forest is largely impactedwith significant disease. diseaseexpression canvarywith soil loss of endemic plants including type and profile. Dieback caused echinata subsp. echinata, Recognising Dieback caused by by Pc not only kills plants in the as well as its Phltophthoru cinnamomi bush, it can kill susceptiblespecies dominatedheaths. in gardensand orchardsincluding Dyingbanksiasare one ofthebest avocadosand . indicators of the diseasebut marry

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