Alarm in the national park: Invasive mushroom threatens mountain pines and nature!

Alarm in the national park: Invasive mushroom threatens mountain pines and nature!

Berchtesgaden, Deutschland - An alarming threat to the Berchtesgaden National Park: The invasive fungus Lecanosticta Acicola spreads rapidly and has already affected the mountain pine! In 2022, researchers discovered the dreaded “brown stain disease”, which endangers the health of this important ecosystem. A research project, led by Barbara de Araújo, is now investigating the catastrophic effects that this disease has on the forest and the microclimate in the high mountains. These pines are not only pretty to look at, they also play a crucial role in the preservation of the soil and the climate - and their death could have dramatic consequences for the entire flora!

The dangerous fungus is transmitted in the air by water particles and penetrates into the trees through the folding openings of the pine needles. It spreads rapidly, especially in warm and moist weather. A true natural drama that falter the fine structures of the national park. Control over this dangerous freight could be the key! The Federal Research Center Wald already warns of an epidemic spread of tree disease and demands urgent measures, such as intensive controls at airports to intercept illegally inserted pine plants.

a race against the time

The research team has created test fields with 72 wooden boxes, in which different tree species such as spruce and uphops are cultivated. With these experiments, de Araújo wants to determine how the mountain pines influence the conditions in the forest. The results are expected after two years - but time is forced! Since its first discovery in Germany in 1994, the invasive mushroom has spread into ever higher layers and not only endangers the mountain pines, but the entire ecosystem. It is to be hoped that the scientists can control the threatening situation in good time.