OH NO! DISASTER!

OH NO!  A fungal infection has plagued the temperate forest. How will this disaster affect this forest??

Immediate Damage on Trees:

Fungal infections will cause problems with trees similar to that which would result from a root rot disease.  Trees' leaves will begin turning yellow/brown and decrease growth rate until the trees will either gradually or suddenly die.

Photo from Dr. L. F. Grand

Domino Effect - The Real Culprit:

So trees die...what's the big deal? There are three major effects of the deaths of hundreds of forest trees.

1. No tree canopies and branches --> hard to find shelter for animals --> increase in animal death
2. No trees --> decreased intake of CO2 and decreased output of O2
3. No tree canopies to filter light --> excessive sunlight on producers --> plant death

Overall,  a fungal infection will affect not just the trees themselves but the lives of most every organism of the forest.  Fungal infections spread rapidly from tree to tree, and are difficult to stop, so they can be extremely detrimental to a temperate forest.