Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria

A system of field-protective forest belts was created in the 1950-60s in northeastern Bulgaria to maintain soil moisture, reduce wind speed and protect soil against wind erosion, improve the microclimate, and increase the fertility of agricultural lands. The deciduous tree species such as Fraxinus e...

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Main Authors: Margarita Georgieva, Georgi Georgiev, Plamen Mirchev, Veselin Ivanov, Mihaela Hristova, Sevdalin Belilov, Yonko Dodev, Svetozar Madzhov, Lyubomira Georgieva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2024-12-01
Series:Silva Balcanica
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Online Access:https://silvabalcanica.pensoft.net/article/139498/download/pdf/
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author Margarita Georgieva
Georgi Georgiev
Plamen Mirchev
Veselin Ivanov
Mihaela Hristova
Sevdalin Belilov
Yonko Dodev
Svetozar Madzhov
Lyubomira Georgieva
author_facet Margarita Georgieva
Georgi Georgiev
Plamen Mirchev
Veselin Ivanov
Mihaela Hristova
Sevdalin Belilov
Yonko Dodev
Svetozar Madzhov
Lyubomira Georgieva
author_sort Margarita Georgieva
collection DOAJ
description A system of field-protective forest belts was created in the 1950-60s in northeastern Bulgaria to maintain soil moisture, reduce wind speed and protect soil against wind erosion, improve the microclimate, and increase the fertility of agricultural lands. The deciduous tree species such as Fraxinus excelsior, F. angustifolia, F. americana, Gleditsia triacanthos, Quercus robur, Q. cerris, Q. rubra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus minor etc., were in common use for afforestation. Since 2020, the processes of deterioration, premature leaf fall and drying of ash trees have been observed. The deterioration affected Fraxinus excelsior and F. angustifolia on more than 200 ha, mainly on the territory of the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik, State Forest Enterprises Dobrich and General Toshevo. The results from the health status assessment carried-out in 2023 showed severely damaged ash forest belts with defoliation reaching up to 80-100% of tree crowns. Browning of leaves and petioles, and wilting of young shoots, were noticeable. Dam-age on shoots and stems of ash trees was caused by the insect pests Cicada orni, Cossus cossus, Zeuzera pyrina, Hylesinus fraxini, H. crenatus, and on leaves – by leaf-damaging and gall-forming fly Dasineura acrophila and D. fraxini. The complex of fungal species Armillaria mellea, Coriolopsis gallica, Cytospora pulchelia, Daldinia concentrica, Diplodia sp., Helicobasidium purpureum, Hysterographium fraxini, were identified on ash trees. Most of them are considered opportunistic pathogens that cause disease on trees under stress conditions. Deterioration of the health status of other major tree species was also observed. The most dangerous insect pest in oak forests – Lymantria dispar caused the defoliation of Quercus cerris belts. The endophytic fungal pathogen Biscogniauxia mediterranea was identified as a causal agent of charcoal disease on Q. rubra trees. Dutch elm disease caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi resulted in the wilting and death of 80-100% of Ulmus minor trees.
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series Silva Balcanica
spelling doaj-art-240d4abd35e74ba8840c1aee23d41fe32025-01-02T08:32:00ZengPensoft PublishersSilva Balcanica2815-25492024-12-012539911210.3897/silvabalcanica.25.e139498139498Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern BulgariaMargarita Georgieva0Georgi Georgiev1Plamen Mirchev2Veselin Ivanov3Mihaela Hristova4Sevdalin Belilov5Yonko Dodev6Svetozar Madzhov7Lyubomira Georgieva8Forest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesForest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesSofia UniversityA system of field-protective forest belts was created in the 1950-60s in northeastern Bulgaria to maintain soil moisture, reduce wind speed and protect soil against wind erosion, improve the microclimate, and increase the fertility of agricultural lands. The deciduous tree species such as Fraxinus excelsior, F. angustifolia, F. americana, Gleditsia triacanthos, Quercus robur, Q. cerris, Q. rubra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus minor etc., were in common use for afforestation. Since 2020, the processes of deterioration, premature leaf fall and drying of ash trees have been observed. The deterioration affected Fraxinus excelsior and F. angustifolia on more than 200 ha, mainly on the territory of the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik, State Forest Enterprises Dobrich and General Toshevo. The results from the health status assessment carried-out in 2023 showed severely damaged ash forest belts with defoliation reaching up to 80-100% of tree crowns. Browning of leaves and petioles, and wilting of young shoots, were noticeable. Dam-age on shoots and stems of ash trees was caused by the insect pests Cicada orni, Cossus cossus, Zeuzera pyrina, Hylesinus fraxini, H. crenatus, and on leaves – by leaf-damaging and gall-forming fly Dasineura acrophila and D. fraxini. The complex of fungal species Armillaria mellea, Coriolopsis gallica, Cytospora pulchelia, Daldinia concentrica, Diplodia sp., Helicobasidium purpureum, Hysterographium fraxini, were identified on ash trees. Most of them are considered opportunistic pathogens that cause disease on trees under stress conditions. Deterioration of the health status of other major tree species was also observed. The most dangerous insect pest in oak forests – Lymantria dispar caused the defoliation of Quercus cerris belts. The endophytic fungal pathogen Biscogniauxia mediterranea was identified as a causal agent of charcoal disease on Q. rubra trees. Dutch elm disease caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi resulted in the wilting and death of 80-100% of Ulmus minor trees.https://silvabalcanica.pensoft.net/article/139498/download/pdf/Field-protective forest beltshealth statusbiot
spellingShingle Margarita Georgieva
Georgi Georgiev
Plamen Mirchev
Veselin Ivanov
Mihaela Hristova
Sevdalin Belilov
Yonko Dodev
Svetozar Madzhov
Lyubomira Georgieva
Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
Silva Balcanica
Field-protective forest belts
health status
biot
title Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
title_full Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
title_fullStr Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
title_full_unstemmed Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
title_short Health status deterioration in field-protective forest belts in northeastern Bulgaria
title_sort health status deterioration in field protective forest belts in northeastern bulgaria
topic Field-protective forest belts
health status
biot
url https://silvabalcanica.pensoft.net/article/139498/download/pdf/
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