Dear Tony,
Thank you for your reply recounting your observations and hypothesis. You
will no doubt have seen my email to Gerrit in which I briefly describe my
understanding which is, I believe, shared by others. As a fellow
arboriculturist I'm sure you know where I am coming from. I am, however,
open minded and welcome informed debate.
All the best for your New Year celebrations and 2012.
Regards
Luke
-----Original Message-----
From: antony croft [mailto:hamadryad@xxxxxxxx.co.uk]
Sent: 27 December 2011 15:00
To: UK Tree Care
Subject: RE: Ganoderma applanatum/australe on n.maple - implications
Luke, if i may, I have also noted penetration and alteration in living tissue
via Fistulina hepatica, to the point where I have a hypothesis on the co
evolutionary role and adaptive growths instigated by the fungus itself in a
mutually inclusive relationship.
One thing i can tell you with certainty, is that fistulina hepatica is a
highly evolved and sophisticated fungi that modifies the tree form in ways
that explain much of the form we see in many of our most ancient oaks and
castaneas, that fungi are passive parasites is a fairy tale that many would
have us believe, fungi are masters of the environment and driving forces of
it and to believe that they are less than this is naive.
Gerrits work was the first time i had come across any info that would help,
not necessarily confirm my own study into this fungi and its role in the TSSE
(C) Gerrit J Keizer.
A saprobe it certainly is not, not by any stretch of the imagination, but
that is not to say it is a pathogen, least not in the U.K here it is a
complex relationship that is responsible for the form of oaks in many
locations.
tony
From: luketreescapes@xxxxxxxxxxx.com
To: uktc@xxxxxx.tree-care.info
Subject: RE: Ganoderma applanatum/australe on n.maple - implications
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:05:25 +0000
Gerrit,
Thank you for your comments. I hope you won't mind me asking you to expand
on the following paragraph.
"4. Of which Fistulina hepatica is an example, as it first "feeds" on
tannin or vinegar acids produced by the sapwood of the tree (Quercus
robur/petrea, Castanea sativa) in defense, without causing a problem to the
stability of the tree, because after the mycelium finally enters the
cambium and causes a necrosis of living tissues and bark from which exposed
(dead) sapwood it fruits, the tree compensates for the loss of stability in
a tree species specific way (see :
http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/members/fungus-albums-fistulina-hepatica.html ),
which is a good example of co-evolution between fungus and tree species."
The paragraph quoted above appears to indicate that you consider that
Fistulina hepatica can kill sapwood and cambium. I'm afraid that this is
quite different from my understanding that F. Hepatica is purely a
saprotroph that is specialised to colonise and gain its nutrition from
heartwood. However, I'll accept that it may also be able to obtain
nutrition from dead sapwood if not 'out-competed' by wood decay fungi that
are more able to utilise this substrate. I'm sure that we are all aware
that sapwood and cambium may die for a multitude of reasons: biotic,
abiotic, but most often a combination of a number. My understanding was
that, once dead, F. hepatica maybe able to utilise the newly available
substrate as a secondary saprotroph. If it's not too much trouble could
you please recount the steps you've taken to eliminate these potentially
primary reasons for sapwood and cambium death and enabled you to come to
your conclusions.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Luke
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