Acute Oak Decline (AOD) is damaging thousands of native oaks in the UK. The extent to which trees must be weakened or “predisposed” before they develop AOD symptoms is unknown. The role of the two spotted oak buprestid Agrilus biguttatus, a beetle strongly associated with the syndrome, also remains unclear. Using tree ring measurements (dendrochronology) and stable isotope analysis, the research aims to examine the stem growth and tree health histories of Acute Oak Decline (AOD)-affected trees, to look for evidence of predisposition to AOD, the impact of AOD on recent growth, and correlation with A. biguttatus attack.
Research objectives
Using tree ring measurements (dendrochronology):
- Look for evidence of predisposition / weakening in the stem growth record before the trees developed AOD symptoms
- analyse the relationship between the beetle and observed stem growth patterns
- determine the impact of AOD on recent stem growth
Using stable isotope analysis:
- investigate the past water use and historic carbon status of healthy and AOD affected trees
- correlate the historic health of the trees with AOD symptom onset and A. biguttatus colonisation
