Abiotic DisordersRead Chapter 9

• OBJECTIVES OF ABIOTIC DISEASES

• At the end of this section students should be able to:

• 1) Know and understand the types of tree injuries caused by abiotic disorders

• 2) Be able to discern the difference between abiotic and biotic diseases

• 3) Understand the patterns of abiotic injuries and how they occur• 4) Know what the major air pollutants are and how they influence

forest ecosystems• 5) Understand how air pollutants are dispersed in the atmosphere• 6) Understand the influence of nutrient deficiencies and toxicities on

tree health• 7) Be familiar with patterns of injuries caused by animals

Abiotic Disorders

• Pattern of injuries

Temperature & Moisture Disorders

- High Temperatures

• Heat Defoliation

• Sunscald

• Winter Sunscald

• Heat Injury

• Birch Dieback

Temperature & Moisture Disorders

• Low Temperatures

• Frost Injury

• Frost Crack

• Frost shake

Temperature & Moisture Disorders

Water Deficiencies

• Drought

• Winter Browning / Winter Drying / Red Belt

Temperature & Moisture Disorders

• Water Excesses

• Nutrient Deficiencies & Imbalances– Iron Chlorosis

Abiotic Disorders

• Herbicide & Chemical Disorders

Abiotic Disorders

• Mechanical Injuries

- Weather Events

- Animal Damage

- Construction / Landscaping

Porcupine Damage Mouse / Mole / Vole Damage

Abiotic Disorders

• AIR POLLUTION

– Types of Air Pollutants• Primary Pollutants

• Secondary Pollutants

• Acid Rain

• Excess Nitrogen

AIR POLLUTION

Primary Pollutants

• Sulfur Dioxide - SO2

• Hydrogen Fluorides - HF

AIR POLLUTION

Secondary pollutants - Ozone O3

NO2 + sunlight = NO + O

O + O2 = O3

NO + O2 = NO3

NO3 + O2 = NO2 + O3

NO2 and O3 in the atmosphere = SMOG

Secondary pollutants

PAN - Peroxyacetyl nitrate

NO + CH3-OH + Sunlight = CH3-COONO2

AIR POLLUTION

Secondary Pollutants

• Acid Rain

SO2 + H2O = H2SO4

CO2 + H2O = H2CO3

AIR POLLUTION

Secondary Pollutants

• Excess Nitrogen

NO + H2O = NHO3

AIR POLLUTION

• Dispersion of Air Pollutants

Damage Caused by Air Pollutants

• Sulfur dioxide

• Hydrogen fluoride

Air pollution

Damage Caused by Air Pollutants

• Ozone

• PAN

Air pollution

• Management of Air Pollutants

• Elimination of the source

• The use of resistant plant varieties

• The use of chemical protectants

• Forecasting air pollution episodes

Abiotic Disorders

• QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FOR ABIOTIC DISEASES:

1) Describe the general patterns of injury produced by abiotic factors.

2) Describe the steps necessary for you to tell if a tree had insect damage, a biological disease, a non-biological disease or animal damage.

3) Describe how temperature and moisture excesses influence tree health.

4) What nutrient deficiencies are most likely to occur in forest trees?

5) What are the three main sources of air pollutants affecting forests?

6) What do sulfur dioxide and ozone do to plants?7) How does acid precipitation and excess nitrogen deposition

influence forests?