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Calamity in the Canopy
Senior Voice of Citrus County - OCTOBER 2020 • 7
By Steven Davis, pathogens from decaying of which contributes to the of tolerant and diverse tree
Florida-Friendly root stumps can inoculate decline of established and communities and adapting
Landscaping surrounding, often-stressed susceptible trees. stress-reducing maintenance
Coordinator, Citrus trees with disease pathogens. practices, while keeping
County Department of Succession in forests Native forest trees can a close eye for injuries or
Water Resources communities is natural as the grow for 80 to 150 years. openings on established trees
forest ages and changes. Trees Trees introduced to an will help reduce potential
Established shade trees come and go. urban landscape thrive for stressors, enabling a healthy
will not last forever. considerably less time due shade canopy for years, but
Environmental stress or tree In the urban or developed to the altered environment not forever.
injury created through garden landscape things are different. they must adopt. Selection
renovation, improvements Namely, the introduced
to infrastructure and soil stresses we put on installed
compaction, among other trees is substantial. In FRANKLY SPEAKING
stresses, often contribute to developed landscapes we
tree mortality in both rural introduce large numbers of
and urban areas. Most often, the same species, creating a T h is
death of a mature tree is monoculture where attacking
not due to an evil pathogen insects and diseases can
threatening Florida shade gain significant footholds. Un us u a l
trees, but rather a combination Diversity of tree species
of stressors, which contribute creates barriers disabling
to the loss. invaders with resistant T im e
communities separating the
While travelling, you may pathogen from vulnerable
notice existing forest trees trees.
stressed or dying, with no and clingy. She wants to be
activity or development Trees planted in developed next to me 24/7, especially
nearby. Recent weather communities are planted when there is noise from
conditions, hot and dry, freeze close together for immediate fireworks, trucks, and
or flood events, or simply curb appeal, but as trees thunderstorms. She cowers
extremes as seasons pass can mature, they compete by my feet under my chair.
cooperate with natural disease for space, nutrients, and
pathogens to cause quick moisture. Parking lots, Now for the no bueno side.
decline. As trees mature, sidewalks, and streets all She can no longer get up on
they are more susceptible to contribute to compacted soils, the bed by herself. She tries
natural or mechanical injury. which impact healthy root to jump up the way she
An open wound allows development of introduced used to but can no longer
bacteria and fungus to enter, trees. Disturbed soils imported By Frank Jolliff manage. I then must lift her
multiply and destroy living for development alter the up. I worry about what will
tissue, killing the already native soil profile, giving a Living alone during this she do when we get back to
susceptible tree. Forest trees pause to establishment of lockdown has been good normal and I am gone more
of the same species often the introduced plant. Lawn and bad. First the good. often.
share the same forest space. and shrub maintenance My 14-year-old dog, By the way, where do dogs
Co-mingling roots of forest practices also alter the natural Sasha, has been extra sweet go when they lose their
trees of the same species can environment, introducing poor because I am home more tail? Wait for it…the retail
fuse, making all susceptible application of supplemental than usual. But she also store.
to naturally occurring fungal water, unneeded nutrients, has been very dependent
pathogens. Soil fungal herbicides, and pesticides all
