Sudden Oak Death and Wildlife

The pathogen that causes sudden oak death, Phytophthora ramorum, infects a diversity of plant species, including redwood, Douglas fir, and rhododendron, in addition to oaks and tanoaks. Many wildlife species depend on oaks, madrones, and other susceptible plant species for their habitat and diet. The potential impact of sudden oak death on wildlife is significant. WCS collaborated with state and federal agencies and public and private landowners to study the ecology of the epidemic in order to understand its effects on wildlife in susceptible systems and reduce wildlife and human conflict.

The Human Aspect
Research shows that sudden oak death is transported by weather (e.g. wind-driven rain) and by human activities (e.g. vehicles, bikes, hiking). Landscape-scale resource management affects the susceptibility of landscapes to infection by sudden oak death.

Threats
Cascading effects of reduced acorn production pose a significant threat to landscapes and wildlife from Monterey County, California to southern Oregon.

WCS Activities
WCS concentrated its efforts on the ecological consequences of the sudden oak death epidemic for native plants and animals. The goal of this research was to monitor vulnerable plant and wildlife populations, to predict likely areas and forms of resultant wildlife/human conflict, and to assemble the biological data essential to address the impact of sudden oak death on wildlife populations.