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Ash Die Back
''Hymenoscyphus fraxineus'' () is an ascomycete fungus that causes ash Forest dieback, dieback, a chronic fungal disease of Fraxinus, ash trees in Europe characterised by leaf loss and crown dieback in infected trees. The fungus was first scientifically described in 2006 under the name ''Chalara fraxinea''. Four years later it was discovered that ''Chalara fraxinea'' is the asexual (anamorphic) stage of a fungus that was subsequently named ''Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus'' and then renamed as ''Hymenoscyphus fraxineus''. Trees reported dying in Poland in 1992 are now believed to have been infected with this pathogen. It is now widespread in Europe, with up to 85% mortality rates recorded in plantations and 69% in woodlands. It is closely related to a native fungus ''Hymenoscyphus albidus'', which is harmless to European ash trees. According to a 2016 report published in the Journal of Ecology a combination of ''H. fraxineus'' and emerald ash borer attacks could wipe out European a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista. A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the ''Eumycota'' (''t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
