KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 September 14, 2020 \u2013 A 溏心vlog免费B站 scientist said that a disease that can kill beech trees was discovered in southwest Rhode Island in June, and both American and European beech trees throughout the region are at risk.<\/p>\n
According to Heather Faubert, who coordinates the 溏心vlog免费B站 Plant Protection Clinic, beech leaf disease was first identified in Ohio in 2012, and it spread to Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut before arriving in Rhode Island. The disease damages a tree\u2019s leaves, causing them to fall off. The energy required to regrow leaves stresses the trees, and if it happens several years in a row, the trees could die.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really sad that it\u2019s arrived here because beeches make such beautiful forest trees,\u201d Faubert said. \u201cBeech forests are stunning, their bark is gorgeous, and in fall their leaves turn a beautiful coppery color.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the disease is caused by a nematode, a microscopic worm that feeds inside the leaves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very easy to see if a tree is infected,\u201d Faubert said. \u201cIf you hold a leaf up to the sun and you can see dark bands running parallel to the veins of the leaves, that\u2019s the sign of an infected tree.\u201d<\/p>\n
No treatment for the disease is available, as nematodes are difficult to control in the forest environment, but research is underway to identify treatments for individual landscape trees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the worst part; we don\u2019t know what to do about it yet,\u201d said Faubert, who observed diseased trees in an extensive area of beeches in Ashaway but did not find it in beech forests in Portsmouth or Middletown. \u201cWe also don\u2019t know how it\u2019s being transmitted from tree to tree, so if people walk around in the area of diseased trees, they should probably wash the bottom of their shoes before going into another forest.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also advises that residents avoid digging up beech tree saplings from one forest and transplanting them elsewhere so as not to move potentially diseased trees to uninfected areas.<\/p>\n