Session 10: Invasive fungus threatens Australian native communities

biosecurity built on science

Integrating knowledge of distribution, hosts and impacts of Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) in Australia

Laura FernandezPhD Student

Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre


Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust)Described in Brazil (1884) Detected in NSW (2010) Agonis flexuosa

www.apstas.comNed Klopfenstein


Myrtaceae in Australia~ 2250 spp.

Atlas of Living Australia / www.ala.org.au / by Rachael Gallagher

> 300 known susceptible spp.


Genera of Australian MyrtaceaeEucalyptus ~ 850 spp. Melaleuca ~200 spp. Callistemon 37 spp.


Negative impacts

Rhodamnia rubescens Syzygium jambos

R. Makinson A. Carnegie

Rhodamnia rubescens

L. Fernandez

Chamelaucium uncinatum

L. Fernandez

Rhodamnia rubescens


It is important to have updated information on the distribution and impacts of invasive species

decisions

quarantine, management and control

Survey


Myrtle rust survey

• Ethical approval from Macquarie University• Qualtrics software from Macquarie University


Myrtle rust survey

• 548 emails

• National Parks, Botanical Gardens, councils, forestry corporation, nurseries and bush regeneration groups• NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS, NT

• Survey sent December 2015 - closed February 2016


Myrtle rust survey• Number of questions: maximum 10 • To be responded in 10 minutes or less


Myrtle rust survey1 - Have you seen evidence of myrtle rust in your area?Yes 2 - Localities? 3 - Plant community type?4 - Plant species? Severity? Tissues?5 - Control? 6 - Threat? No

7 - Have you received information?8 - Work for local government..?9 - Are you willing to be contacted?10 - Comments


Results• 254 responses (surveys started), 200 surveys completed

1 - Have you seen evidence of myrtle rust infection on plants in your area?

Yes No123 131

NSW 63 44QLD 15 7VIC 4 35TAS -- 12NT -- 4ACT -- 5 82 107


• At what localities have you observed myrtle rust?

Four new Local Government Areas(LGAs) were detected:

New LGAs for myrtle rustNSW Singleton

Muswellbrook QLD Burdekin

Gladstone

Map by Katherine Berthon


Plant community type / Land use types: 78 responses

Garden

locati

on

Stree

t tree

s

Park / M

unicipal

parklan

d

Plant n

ursery

Plantings

/ plan

ted Sy

zygium

Botanica

l gard

ens

Ornamen

tals

02468

101214 13

3 32 2

1 1

Artificial

Rainfores

t

Tall o

pen fo

rest

Wet scl

erophyll

fores

t

Coastal

woodland

Swam

p Scler

ophyll Fo

rest

Riparian

/ Cree

k / Rive

rbanks

Wet scl

erophyll

gully

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Natural


Can you remember which plant species you have seen infected?

People named 50 species of 13 genera

Rhodamnia rubescens 27Melaleuca quinquenervia 13 Syzygium jambos (exotic) 12 Rhodomyrtus psidioides 10

Five reported new host species: Lophomyrtus obcordata Kunzea parvifolia Leptospermum myrtifolium Eucalyptus amplifolia Lophostemon confertus


Control?

Threat?

No: 41Yes: 31

Yes 41 R. rubescens and R. psidioidesDon’t know 14No 12Probably 8


- Who will benefit from my research? Respondents, natural resource managers, park rangers, scientists, community > open channels of communication with stakeholders

- How I will deliver it to end-users? send results back to respondents, publish in scientific journals, available online, recommendations for managers

- How will they use my research? Including new susceptible species in host species list, adding new locations into current distribution, accurate management

- End-user’s perspective quote 1: “If we know where it is currently and how fast it is spreading this would be valuable information to have (Lane Cove NSW Gov.)”

quote 2: “I don't know how to ID it but would like to learn/ know more about it (Biosis – Leaders in Ecology and Heritage Consulting)”


Future – Next steps of my research• Chapter 1: Introduction• Chapter 2: Integrating knowledge of distribution, hosts and impacts of Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust)

in Australia

• Chapter 3: Assessing susceptibility of Australian species to Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) • Chapter 4: Impacts of Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) on rainforest native

communities • Chapter 5: Impacts of Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) after fire• Chapter 6: Conclusion


Acknowledgements- Supervisors Michelle Leishman, Angus Carnegie and Geoff Pegg - Rachael Gallagher and Katherine Berthon

For more information, please email: [email protected]

Thank you!

mailto:[email protected]

Session 10: Invasive fungus threatens Australian native communities

Science

Transcript of Session 10: Invasive fungus threatens Australian native communities