MARE researcher develops tool for managing the decline of alder populations

MARE researcher Verónica Ferreira is part of a team of international researchers who have developed the ADnet tool. This tool makes it possible to predict the risk of alder infection by the pathogen Phytophthora xalni, helping to manage the decline of this important riparian tree species.

The management tool resulting from the Alder Decline Network (ADnet) integrates information from scientific literature, the knowledge of experts in the field and empirical data. The collection of this detailed information involved 19 experts, including MARE researcher Verónica Ferreira, from 12 institutions in 8 different countries. In addition, a set of original data covering 1189 European sites was also collected, from which the occurrence of P. xalni was modelled based on bioclimatic variables.

Using the ADnet tool, it was possible to conclude that mild temperatures and high rainfall are important factors for the survival of this pathogen. As such, management actions such as avoiding planting potentially infected trees or removing artificial structures that increase the flooding period of sites affected by the disease could reduce the incidence of alder disease in riverside forests and limit its spread.

In this way, ADnet becomes an important tool for supporting ecosystem management decisions at local or regional level throughout Europe. Its coverage can be extended by updating data on the occurrence of P. xalni, especially from its distribution limits.

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