Study: 'Sudden Oak Death' killed millions of oaks, tanoaks

Uncompromising trade of oak plants possibly led to the introduction of a microbe that killed hundreds of thousands of oaks and tanoaks along the Pacific Coast, plant pathologists at the University of California, Berkeley said.

The study has potentially shed light on how the pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum is responsible for Sudden Oak Death. It is a contagious; fungus-like disease, which may have been introduced into the United States.

Matteo Garbelotto, UC Berkeley associate extension specialist and adjunct professor said,

We found a lot of genetic information and traits within this third lineage that are different from the other two… So, this species must have a lot more diversity than we thought originally.

Via: Science Daily