 | ||||||
| Articles | Projects | Resume | Cartoons | Windsurfing | Paintings | Album |
Biodiversity:
Ecological Effects of Species Introductions and Extinctions
by Waterose et. al.
The Dutch Elm Disease has killed most if not all the American Elm trees in Windsor, Ontario and in the neighboring US city, Detroit. Dutch elm disease is a fungus carried by the burrowing European elm bark beetle, Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham), and the native elm bark beetle, Hylurgopinus opaculus. It was reported in Belgium at the turn of the century, but received its name from the Dutch scientists who initially studied it. The fungus attacks trees' internal transport systems for food and moisture and rapidly kills them. Although scientists have been working on defenses against the blight since the 1930s, victories have been few. If there were any surviving American Elm trees left, they had to be cut-down and burned so that the fungus would not spread.
Yet, there is one large American Elm tree in Detroit that made the news because of its size and survival of the fungus. The tree is more than 12 stories tall and with a diameter of 23 feet. Botanists are hoping that the tree can provide genetic stock for a heartier strain of American Elm trees.
Dutch Elm disease has killed millions of American elm trees throughout North America. Alberta is one of the few areas of the world where elms are widely grown and Dutch Elm Disease has not yet been found.
email Waterose
Please Sign My Guestbook
Please View My Guestbook
| Articles | Projects | Resume | Cartoons | Windsurfing | Paintings | Album |
 | ||||||