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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/oct/15/plantwatch-autumn-and-leaves-are-falling-but-for-the-wrong-reasons
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Plantwatch: Autumn and leaves are falling, but for the wrong reasons | Plantwatch: Autumn and leaves are falling, but for the wrong reasons |
| (10 days later) | |
| The autumn tree colours are appearing, but all is not quite what it seems. Horse chestnut leaves started falling weeks ago like crispy brown pieces of paper, a sign of leaf miners infesting the trees. | The autumn tree colours are appearing, but all is not quite what it seems. Horse chestnut leaves started falling weeks ago like crispy brown pieces of paper, a sign of leaf miners infesting the trees. |
| These are the caterpillars of a tiny moth, and a big tree can be infested with about 2m of these pests, which weakens the tree. Even more pernicious is a disease of horse chestnuts called bleeding canker, which can kill the tree. | These are the caterpillars of a tiny moth, and a big tree can be infested with about 2m of these pests, which weakens the tree. Even more pernicious is a disease of horse chestnuts called bleeding canker, which can kill the tree. |
| These are just two of many new pests and diseases attacking British trees in recent years. | These are just two of many new pests and diseases attacking British trees in recent years. |
| Native oak trees are being hit by acute oak decline, a disease causing black weeping fluid to seep from splits in the bark on the trunks of mature trees, and a severe infection can lead to the death of the tree within a few years. The disease is mostly found across East Anglia, the Midlands and south-east England, but it appears to be spreading. | Native oak trees are being hit by acute oak decline, a disease causing black weeping fluid to seep from splits in the bark on the trunks of mature trees, and a severe infection can lead to the death of the tree within a few years. The disease is mostly found across East Anglia, the Midlands and south-east England, but it appears to be spreading. |
| In the 1970s, Dutch elm disease killed off Britain’s elm trees, since when there’s been a steady increase in new pests and diseases of our trees, often caused by importing infected trees without proper checks. | In the 1970s, Dutch elm disease killed off Britain’s elm trees, since when there’s been a steady increase in new pests and diseases of our trees, often caused by importing infected trees without proper checks. |
| Climate change aggravates the problem, because these alien pests and diseases can become more established in a warmer climate, and existing ones can thrive.Our woodlands are more vulnerable to serious tree pests and diseases because 77% of England’s broadleaf woodlands are made up of just five tree species - oak, ash, beech, sycamore and birch. It shows the urgent need to plant a wider range of native tree species. | Climate change aggravates the problem, because these alien pests and diseases can become more established in a warmer climate, and existing ones can thrive.Our woodlands are more vulnerable to serious tree pests and diseases because 77% of England’s broadleaf woodlands are made up of just five tree species - oak, ash, beech, sycamore and birch. It shows the urgent need to plant a wider range of native tree species. |