Typical newbie

[johnmcc]

Yes, I've joined this forum because I have a problem. Sorry.

 

I'm in North Norfolk in an area that's on a pretty thick clay pan about 60 to 80 cms below the surface. I have a variety of trees in my garden and seem to be losing them. Two years ago a large weeping willow in a field behind my garden, separated from it by a ditch, died over the winter. Then last summer a weeping silver birch in my garden died at the end of July - all the leaves turned brown and fell, and before long twigs started to fall off the tree - all this within a few weeks. This June a tortured willow about 5 metres from the birch has started to die back from the top. Both the birch and the tortured willow were (are) about 6 metres tall. Now a 10 year old silver birch about 5 metres from the other two has started to look sickly, with leaves starting to curl and go brown at the edges, and some beginning to fall.

 

The three trees dead or dying in my garden are all in my chicken run. Could the chicken droppings be having an effect? In my village we are all on septic tanks. Could the sub-surface run off from the tanks be killing the trees? Or is it honey fungus or similar? All the trees are within a 6 or 7 metres of either the boundary ditch or a large pond connected to the ditch. The water table is less than 60 cm below the surface in the dryest weather - even during this spring's drought.

 

Also within my garden I have a large Oak, a very tall Ash, a Sweet Chestnut, Plum and Apple trees which so far (fingers crossed) don't seem to be affected. I don't think there is anything I can do to prevent any fungus or disease spreading since the root systems of my trees seem to be pretty well interconnected, but I'd like to know if the remaining trees are in danger, and what species might be safe if I have to replant.

 

If you have any thoughts you'd be prepared to share with me I'd be most grateful.

[johnmcc]

Thanks very much for the replies, chaps. In a way I hope it's the chicken sh*t because that means we may have no further problem. The weeping birch that died first was in the middle of the run, the tortured willow (second) was in the hedge around the run, as is the silver birch. I'll post a photo of the foliage etc tomorrow.

 

As long as my oak, plum and apple survive I won't be too sorry. The tortured willow was an ugly thing anyway, IMHO! Oh, and a hawthorn right in the middle of the chicken run seems to be totally unaffected.

[Fungus]

a hawthorn right in the middle of the chicken run seems to be totally unaffected.

 

John,

Which probably is due to Crataegus (mainly) being associated with generalistic endomycorrhizal microfungi, which are less vulnerable for intoxication by nitrogens.

[David Goss]

The man has spoken once again:thumbup:

99.9% sure its the chicken crap being your problem:thumbup1:

[geoff]

My parents had a chicken run for decades,the only thing that survived in there was a hawthorn.

[johnmcc]

Brilliant - I'm really grateful for the advice. So the only remaining question is:

 

Is there anything I can do to save the 12 year old Silver Birch? It's at the edge of the run and I'll post a photo this afternoon, visitors permitting.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

John,

Which probably is due to Crataegus (mainly) being associated with generalistic endomycorrhizal microfungi, which are less vulnerable for intoxication by nitrogens.

 

ive been pondering this aspect of mycos for some time, are we seeing a decline in the ectomycorrhizal associated trees and a boom of the endomycorrhizal trees because of the nitrification of the civilised world?

 

are the ash trees and the sycamores etc better off in agricultural context and the oaks suffering amoung the crops because of this more than anything else?

[johnmcc]

[/img]

 

The dead weeping birch with the dead tortured willow behind.

 

[/img]

 

The silver birch

 

[/img]

 

Leaves on the silver birch.

 

Once again, thanks for the advice. What a great forum!

[Fungus]

are we seeing a decline in the ectomycorrhizal associated trees and a boom of the endomycorrhizal trees because of the nitrification of the civilised world? are the ash trees and the sycamores etc better off in agricultural context and the oaks suffering amoung the crops because of this more than anything else?

 

Tony,

Yes and no. Tree species with compared to Quercus robur rather short tree species specific life cycles, such as Acer, Platanus, Aesculus and Fraxinus, associated with generalistic endomycorrhizal microfungi, which are far less effective in protecting and defending the roots and the tree as a whole then ectomycorrhizal macrofungi are, are more vulnerable for (epidemic) pests and diseases (bacterial bleeding cankers, leave mining insects, etc.) or parasitic fungi (Massaria, Chalara fraxinea, Inonotus hispidus, Perenniporia fraxinea, Ganoderma australe, Meripilus giganteus, Armillaria species, etc.) killing lots of trees before they grow old.

And oaks with a much longer tree specific specific life cycle suffer (but do not (yet) die), because the nitrification causes major shifts in their tree species specific ecosystem from which the tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi, which are the most effective in protecting and defending them, disappear and are replaced by far less effective generalistic ectmycorrhizal symbionts.

Edited July 24, 2011 by Fungus

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony,

Yes and no. Tree species with compared to Quercus robur rather short tree species specific life cycles, such as Acer, Platanus, Aesculus and Fraxinus, associated with generalistic endomycorrhizal microfungi, which are far less effective in protecting and defending the roots and the tree as a whole then ectomycorrhizal macrofungi are, are more vulnerable for (epidemic) pests and diseases (bacterial bleeding cankers, leave mining insects, etc.) or parasitic fungi (Massaria, Chalara fraxinea, Inonotus hispidus, Perenniporia fraxinea, Ganoderma australe, Meripilus giganteus, Armillaria species, etc.) killing lots of trees before they grow old.

And oaks with a much longer tree specific specific life cycle suffer (but do not (yet) die), because the nitrification causes major shifts in their tree species specific ecosystem from which the tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi, which are the most effective in protecting and defending them, disappear and are replaced by far less effective generalistic ectmycorrhizal symbionts.

 

so am I right in thinking that it is the boletes that are the creme de la creme of symbionts and protectors of quercus?

 

where I see the boletes I tend to see a happy healthy tree population?

[Fungus]

it is the boletes that are the creme de la creme of symbionts and protectors of quercus? where I see the boletes I tend to see a happy healthy tree population?

 

No, just some species of boletes (sub)specializing on Quercus, along with tree species specific Russula, Lactarius, Amanita, Cortinarius, Tricholoma, Hygrophorus and Ramaria species and some Hydnaceae, which are all part of the species rich and complicated tree species specific ecosystem and the life cycle of "mature" Quercus robur.