Reviving Dogwood Trees Call for Wildfires

Dogwood trees are very essential for the some species. They act as a “calcium pump” by extracting nutrients from the soil and then spreading it all over the ground when its leaves fall. The article describes how without it, species may not get their food supply, so it is important for dogwoods to be revived and also survive harsh times such as the Discula destructiva fungi. According to the article, the fungi arrived in the United States from Asia, unknowingly. “The fungus kills a tree's foliage and then girdles the tree by creating cankers on the trunk,” stated the article.

To solve the problem of the dying Dogwood Trees Michael Jenkins, assistant professor of forestry and natural resources, and his colleagues studied how to revive the population of Dogwood trees in Tennessee and North Carolina. They suggested that fire would be the solution because the Discula destructiva fungi like to be in a cool and moist environment with little air movement. If there were to be a fire, it would cause a very dry and drought-like environment allowing the Dogwood trees and all of the other species to survive in the forest.

To sum it all up, this article is essential because it describes how species might one day not survive, if it was not for Jenkins and his colleagues. If the Discula destructiva fungi continues to swipe out Dogwood Trees, then hemlock trees will replace them and provide a shady and moist environment; an environment, of course, that Discula destructiva fungi love. That would continue to reduce the Dogwood Tree’s population and eliminate food sources for many species.

Source: Purdue University. "Fire May Be Key to Reviving Dogwood Trees in Eastern Forests." ScienceDaily 8 June 2010. 25 August 2010 .