Research
The Ohio Chapter’s research committee is responsible for locating and disseminating research findings that affect Ohio tree care professionals. Research documents are separated into primary areas of interest and include a searchable summary provided by the committee. Use the search feature in the lower right corner to search using a keyword.
If you have research papers you think would be of interest to Ohio professionals or if you cannot locate a certain subject matter, email the Ohio Chapter research committee at info@OhioChapterISA.org.
Other resources:
* Arboriculture & Urban Forestry Online
* TreeFund.org
Climbing
PERRP Safety Alert - Hazards of tree felling and trimming operations
This Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP) Safety Alert discusses ways to reduce or eliminate tree work-related accidents. It discusses training and proper work practices and identifies controls necessary to reduce the risk of serious injury.
Environmental
Climate Change Atlas
Climate change is already having substantial effects on natural systems and the benefits they provide. Understanding how climate change may intensify through this century is important to prepare for future changes.
Costs of Maintaining and Not Maintaining the Urban Forest
A Review
Over 300 articles were compiled, of which 163 were deemed useful for this review document.
Defence Responses and Resistance Breeding in Forest Tree Species
A Review
Forest trees play an important role not only in mitigating the effects of climate change but also in other considerable economic and ecological value and maintenance of proper ecosystem stability. They are a vital source of alternative bioenergy source and play important roles in pollution abatement and maintenance of biodiversity.
Fluopyram: an Effective Management Tool to combat the Emerging threat to the American Beech, Beech Leaf Disease
Bartlett Research Poster
Fluopyram has proven effective against Lcm in lab assays and some field trial sites. However, high variability in field sites shows that individual trees must be considered in the context of their surroundings. Inoculum pressure in dense beech stands and from overhanging beech canopies may strongly influence treatment efficacy. Current management options should focus on high-value specimens beech, collection preservation, and potentially uncrowded mixed natural stands.
Tree Establishment: A Review of Some of the Factors Affecting Transplant Survival & Establishment
This article reviews some of the factors that induce transplant shock and slow establishment of transplanted nursery stock, such as root and mineral nutrient loss, soil moisture stress, and xylem vessel cavitation, and the methods used to reduce transplant shock.
Heat Tolerance of Urban Trees
There is evidence of genetic variation in heat tolerance between and within urban forestry species, which could be essential to exploit for urban trees. Understanding the mechanisms of tree physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to extreme heat events is also necessary for understanding how urban tree species will be affected by climate change.
How Effective are Methods to Induce or Facilitate the Natural Resistance of Temperate Trees to Exotic Phytophthora Species?
A Systematic Review
The cost-effectiveness of such interventions requires further research, but this review demonstrates that alternatives to the pruning and felling of diseased trees now exist. This review recommends updated best practices with information on the benefits of the practical application of treatments, including foliar sprays, trunk injections, and soil amendments in treating Phytophthora-based tree diseases.
Impact of Mulches on Landscape Plants and the Environment - A Review
All mulches are not created equally, however, and this review compares the costs and benefits of landscape mulches as reported in the scientific literature. It also presents real and perceived problems associated with various landscape mulches.
Induced Resistance to Pests and Pathogens in Trees
A Review
Tree resistance can be enhanced by a variety of biotic and abiotic inducers, including nonpathogenic and pathogenic microbes and herbivores, resulting in enhanced protection against further biotic injury. Induced resistance could be a valuable tool in sustainable pest management.
Potential of Induced Resistance as a Tool for the Management of Pathogens and Insects in Trees
An Ecological Viewpoint
Under natural conditions, forest ecosystems are usually stable, despite the constant presence of arthropods and pathogens inherently capable fo killing their tree hosts.
A Meta-Analysis of Studies Relating to Organic Materials and Impacts on Soil, Tree, and Environmental Properties
Organic materials are commonly used in urban landscapes to improve soil quality and tree health. Literature reviews suggest that these materials have beneficial effects, but these impacts have yet to be evaluated using a meta-analytical approach. This work presents a literature summary of 176 articles published in Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) and evaluates 33 of these papers using a meta-analysis.
Threats to the Sustainability of Urban Forests
Article
What compromises the sustainability of urban forests from an entomological standpoint? In this article by Michael J. Raupp, he groups these antagonistic features into six broad categories.
A rapid urban site index for assessing the quality of street tree planting sites. For an urban site index to be valuable for urban forestry and arboriculture, it must be practical and accurate. Considerations include the time and expertise required to use the tool.
The Complex Issue of Urban Trees—Stress Factor Accumulation and Ecological Service Possibilities. This review paper is the first to summarize many aspects of trees' ecological role in urban landscapes while considering their growth conditions.
Equipment
Please check back for equipment-related research. If you are aware of any research, please email a link to info@ohiochapterisa.org.
Plant Healthcare - Endophytes
Endophytes and their Potential for Bio-Control of Tree Diseases
Technical Paper
The importance of mycorrhiza and the role they play in enhancing tree health are widely recognized by arborists. However, the role of endophytes, i.e. bacteria and fungi that live within and on a tree without causing any disease symptoms, is greatly underappreciated. This article aims to provide a brief overview highlighting the benefits of endophytes, especially their potential as bio-control agents.
Endophytes as Biological Agents
Technical Paper
With growing concern about environmental pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals, the use of biological control as an alternative environmentally friendly option is becoming necessary. The traditional breeding of trees for resistance remains one potential route, but it is a strategy that might be outpaced by the spread and introduction of pests and diseases, as well as being a time-consuming and sometimes difficult task.
Defence Responses and Resistance Breeding in Forest Tree Species
Review
Forest trees play an important role not only for mitigating the effects of climate change but also for their considerable economic and ecological value and maintenance of proper ecosystem stability. They are a vital source of
alternative bioenergy source and play important roles in pollution abatement and maintenance of biodiversity. It is essential that the proper growth and health of forest trees should be monitored and maintained regularly.
Potential of Induced Resistance as a Tool for the Management of Pathogens and Insects in Trees - An Ecological Viewpoint
Under natural conditions, forest ecosystems are usually stable, despite the constant presence of arthropods and pathogens inherently capable of killing their tree hosts. The phenotypic plasticity of trees, which includes inducible resistance mechanisms against attacking organisms, is likely to play a crucial role in these interactions.
Fungal Endophytes and their Interaction with Plant Pathogens
A Review
The inner space of plants represents an ecological niche where numerous species of fungal endophytes live. These ubiquitous fungi have an effect in the way plants interact with their environment. The penetration of plant tissues is not a process particularly associated to pathogenesis. In this sense, the conceptual framework provided by the comparative study of plant pathogens and endophytes may contribute some interesting questions and answers to the science of Plant Pathology.
Endophytes vs tree pathogens and pests: can they be used as biological control agents to improve tree health?
A Review
Despite the challenges confronting biocontrol of tree diseases and pests, research shows that endophyte treatments can be successfully implemented and there is clear potential for endophytes to be applied to trees as BCA in the future.
Plant Healthcare - Fungi
Susceptibility of Garden Trees and Shrubs to Armillaria Root Rot
Technical Paper
Armillaria root rot (ARR) is a serious disease of woody plants caused by several species of Armillaria. Three species were identified in the study. The results provide confidence in the use of host resistance as part of the integrated management of ARR>
Beech Leaf Disease Severity Affects Ectomycorrhizal Colonization and Fungal Taxa Composition
Technical Paper
Beech leaf disease is an emerging threat to temperate forests in North America. Over time, BLD infestation leads to leaf senescence and canopy loss. Tree death, especially in the subcanopy, is common. Because fungi rely on the photosynthate of autotrophic hosts, and because BLD causes canopy loss, likely hindering photosynthesis, the study predicted that trees more severely affected by BLD symptoms would have a lower ECM root colonization.
Bleeding Canker Disease of Silver Maple Trees
Technical Notes
Management of silver maple canker diseases should be based on integrated pest management (IPM) principles. Learn more from this guideline for professionals and homeowners.
Boxwood Blight
Technical Notes
Boxwood blight is a fungal disease easily transported in the nursery industry and can be moved on infected plants that do not show any symptoms at the time of shipment.
Boxwood - Volutella Blight
Fact Sheet
This disease is causing extensive losses in commercial nurseries that produce boxwood.
Potassium Phosphite
Bartlett Research Technical Report
Potassium phosphite is a soil-applied material that has recently gained attention as a method for improving plant vigor and health. Research and field experience have shown that this improvement of plant health after application of potassium phosphite is related to an increase in resistance against a variety of plant pathogens, as well as increased tolerance of many environmental stress factors, including drought stress.
Plant Healthcare - Insects
Chlorantraniliprole: Reduced-risk Insecticide for Controlling Insect Pests of Woody Ornamentals with Low Hazard to Bees
Scientific Paper
Pesticides used to protect woody ornamentals and turf in urban landscapes need to have efficacy against target pests, low mammalian, and avian toxicity, stability of performance across different conditions, and minimal impact on pollinators, natural enemies, earthworms, and other beneficial invertebrates. Chlorantraniliprole meets those criteria, making it an attractive alternative to neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, and older chemistries, especially for use on plants that may attract bees.
Factors Affecting Efficacy of Trunk-Injected Emamectin Benzoate to Manage Emerald Ash Borer
Scientific Paper
This study demonstrates that EB can be successfully delivered to the canopy of ash trees by the 3 injection systems evaluated
Plant Healthcare - Other
Comparison of Apple Planting Methods
Scientific Paper
The tractor-mounted soil auger, a commonly used machine for simplifying the planting of apple trees, was shown to create a compact hole wall that remains evident over time. In a comparison of the auger to a backhoe, a commercial tree planter, a ditch trencher, and an auger modified to fracture the sides of the planting hole, shoot length and anchorage measurements of trees planted by the alternative planting methods surpassed those planted by the conventional auger. Trees planted by backhoe or tree planter were most successfully established
Changes in Leaf Thickness, Chlorophyll Content & Gas Exchange of a Landscape Tree Treated with Paclobutrazol and Potassium Nitrate
Scientific Paper
The presence of PBZ produced a more compressed arrangement of cells in the leaves. Darker green leaves were observed due to enhanced relative chlorophyll content following PBZ and KNO treatment.
Quantitative Tools for Prediction of Pavement Damages Associated with Urban Trees
Scientific Paper
This study aimed to (1) establish allometric relationships between DBH and TFD of common urban tree species, and (2) identify factors affecting the presence and magnitude of protruding roots and flares.
Professional Expertise & Its Role in Risk Assessment
Scientific Paper
Professional judgment is derived from a person's intuition, training, and level of expertise. When exploring the influence that expertise has on the process of tree risk assessment, it is helpful to approach the topic in relation to its impact across various disciplines. This paper reviews the effects of arboricultural and tree risk assessment training on the assessor and overall tree risk assessment methodology through the lens of professional judgment and decision-making. Additionally, the topic of risk perception is explored based on how it can affect decision-making. Concepts and theories related to risk perception are applied to arboriculture and tree risk assessment to provide additional insight into how subjectivity and personal bias may affect recommendations, mitigation, and the overall management of our urban forests. The review finds that an individual’s perception of a risk can be equally as influential as the reality of the risk on the decision-making process.
Threats to the Sustainability of Urban Forests
Technical Paper
By understanding factors that threaten the sustainability of our urban forests, arborists can develop Integrated Pest Management (IPm) and Plant Healthcare (PHc) programs to mitigate many of the abiotic and biotic forces plaguing trees in urban ecosystems.
Costs of Maintaining and Not Maintaining Urban Trees
ISA Review
This ISA Review presents a detailed summary of corresponding literature on the costs of maintenance and lack of maintenance for types of tree care commonly included in municipal budgets.
[Duplicate] Plant Healthcare - Other
Comparison of Apple Planting Methods
Scientific Paper
The tractor-mounted soil auger, a commonly used machine for simplifying the planting of apple trees, was shown to create a compact hole wall that remains evident over time. In a comparison of the auger to a backhoe, a commercial tree planter, a ditch trencher, and an auger modified to fracture the sides of the planting hole, shoot length and anchorage measurements of trees planted by the alternative planting methods surpassed those planted by the conventional auger. Trees planted by backhoe or tree planter were most successfully established
Changes in Leaf Thickness, Chlorophyll Content & Gas Exchange of a Landscape Tree Treated with Paclobutrazol and Potassium Nitrate
Scientific Paper
The presence of PBZ produced a more compressed arrangement of cells in the leaves. Darker green leaves were observed due to enhanced relative chlorophyll content following PBZ and KNO treatment.
Quantitative Tools for Prediction of Pavement Damages Associated with Urban Trees
Scientific Paper
This study aimed to (1) establish allometric relationships between DBH and TFD of common urban tree species, and (2) identify factors affecting the presence and magnitude of protruding roots and flares.
Professional Expertise & Its Role in Risk Assessment
Scientific Paper
Professional judgment is derived from a person's intuition, training, and level of expertise. When exploring the influence that expertise has on the process of tree risk assessment, it is helpful to approach the topic in relation to its impact across various disciplines. This paper reviews the effects of arboricultural and tree risk assessment training on the assessor and overall tree risk assessment methodology through the lens of professional judgment and decision-making. Additionally, the topic of risk perception is explored based on how it can affect decision-making. Concepts and theories related to risk perception are applied to arboriculture and tree risk assessment to provide additional insight into how subjectivity and personal bias may affect recommendations, mitigation, and the overall management of our urban forests. The review finds that an individual’s perception of a risk can be equally as influential as the reality of the risk on the decision-making process.
Threats to the Sustainability of Urban Forests
Technical Paper
By understanding factors that threaten the sustainability of our urban forests, arborists can develop Integrated Pest Management (IPm) and Plant Healthcare (PHc) programs to mitigate many of the abiotic and biotic forces plaguing trees in urban ecosystems.
Costs of Maintaining and Not Maintaining Urban Trees
ISA Review
This ISA Review presents a detailed summary of corresponding literature on the costs of maintenance and lack of maintenance for types of tree care commonly included in municipal budgets.
Plant Healthcare - Soils
Treatment of Biochar, Fertilization, and Tillage Improves Soil Organic Matter and Tree Growth
Scientific Paper
Three common actions that arborists and urban foresters perform for soil improvement include tillage, fertilization, and amendment with organic materials. Practitioners performing these actions often utilize them in combination.
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
Fact Sheet
Soils have a CEC primarily because clay particles and organic matter in the soil tend to be negatively charged. Since the soil as a whole does not have electric charge, the negative charge of the clay particles is balanced by the positive charge of the cations in the soil.
Chemical & Biochemical Properties of Humic Substance from Forest Soils & Plant Growth
Scientific Paper
It is well known that soil humic substances can affect plant growth by behaving as growth hormones. In many systems, humic substances behave similarly to true auxins, but until recently it had not been shown that they could contain substances similar to auxins.
Organic Matter, Humus, Humate, Humic Acid, Fulvic Acid & Humin: The Importance in Soil Fertility and Plant Health
Scientific Paper
Plants grown on soils that contain adequate humin, humic adds (HAs), and fulvic adds (FAs) are less subject to stress, are healthier, produce higher yields; and the nutritional quality of harvested foods and feeds are superior.
Plant Health & Soil Changes with Humic Substance Applications
Technical Paper
Based on laboratory experiments, humic substances show promise for commercial crop production; however, the extent of positive crop response is difficult to predict. To date, field research has shown mixed results. Humic substances may have an impact on plant growth and soil characteristics; however, the magnitude of the impact is determined by several factors, which include the source of the humic substance, plant species, method of application, and soil type.
Understanding the Role of Humic Acids on Crop Performance and Soil Health
Technical Paper
This review highlights the relevance of HA on crop growth, plant hormone production, nutrient uptake and assimilation, yield, and protein synthesis.
Effect of Leonardite Application on Leaf Nutrient Content & Fruit Chemical Parameters of Cherry
Scientific Paper
Organic fertilizers have an important role in plant nutrition practices by protecting the environment, human health, and ecological balance, and supporting sustainable productivity. Hence, the use of leonardite which has high humic acid content is becoming increasingly common.
Soil Fertility Management & Insect Pests: Harmonizing Soil & Plant Health in Agroecosystems
Scientific Paper
Soil fertility management can have several effects on plant quality, which in turn, can affect insect abundance and subsequent levels of her bivore damage. The reallocation of mineral amendments in crop plants can influence oviposition, growth rates, survival, and reproduction in the insects that use these hosts.
Potassium Phosphite
Technical Paper
Potassium phosphite is a soil applied material that has recently gained attention as a method for improving plant vigor and health. Research and field experience have shown that this improvement of plant health after application of potassium phosphite is related to an increase in resistance against a variety of plant pathogens, as well as increased tolerance of many environmental stress factors, including drought stress.
The Influence of Soil Decompaction & Amendments on Soil Quality
Scientific Paper
The research focuses on the impact of soil compaction on urban trees and evaluates different decompaction methods, including air spading, vertical mulching, biochar application, and woodchip mulching. The study underscores the importance of adopting effective long-term soil decompaction measures to improve the survival of urban trees in compacted soils resulting from human activities.
Soil Organic Matter
Fact Sheet
Soil organic matter contributes to soil productivity in many different ways. In this fact sheet, various components of organic matter and the different roles organic matter plays in soil productivity are described as well as field management practices that will help preserve or increase soil organic matter levels over time.
The Effect of Soil Saturation on Trees & Other Plants
Technical Paper
Adequate soil drainage, or lack of adequate drainage (also called soil saturation) is influenced by soil texture (percent of sand, silt, and clay) and structure (arrangement of soil particles).
Threats to the Sustainability of Urban Forests
Technical Paper
By understanding factors that threaten the sustainability of our urban forests, arborists can develop Integrated Pest management (IPm) and Plant Healthcare (PHc) programs to mitigate many of the abiotic and biotic forces plaguing trees in urban ecosystems.
Susceptibility of Garden Trees and Shrubs to Armillaria Root Rot.
Technical Paper
Armillaria root rot (ARR) is a serious disease of woody plants caused by several species of Armillaria. Three species were identified in the study. The results provide confidence in the use of host resistance as part of the integrated management of ARR>
Beech Leaf Disease Severity Affects Ectomycorrhizal Colonization and Fungal Taxa Composition
Technical Paper
Beech leaf disease is an emerging threat to temperate forests in North America. Over time, BLD infestation leads to leaf senescence and canopy loss. Tree death, especially in the subcanopy, is common. Because fungi rely on the photosynthate of autotrophic hosts, and because BLD causes canopy loss, likely hindering photosynthesis, the study predicted that trees more severely affected by BLD symptoms would have a lower ECM root colonization.
The Underground Movement (Decompacting urban soils)
In this article, Dr. Glenn Percival, Sean Graham, Pieter Borchardt, and David Challice, discuss the results of an ongoing long-term project aimed at developing a sustainable system for decompacting urban soils.
Neighbors of Arbuscular-Mycorrhiza
Neighbors of arbuscular-mycorrhiza associating trees are colonized more extensively by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi than their conspecifics in ectomycorrhiza-dominated stands.
Pruning
Biology and Assessment of Callus and Woundwood
Technical Paper
Tree response to wounding has attracted much attention from pathologists and botanists for the past two hundred years, and man has been attempting to treat tree wounds for over 4,000 years.
Branch Morphology Impacts Compartmentalization of Pruning Wounds
Scientific Paper
Branch diameter relative to the trunk diameter (aspect ratio) impacted the amount of discolored wood that developed in the trunk after branch removal in seedling-propagated red maple (Acer rubrum L.) and live oak (Quercus virginiana L.). Morediscoloration resulted from removing codominant stems than re-moving branches that were small compared to trunk diameter.
Citrus Pruning in the Mediterranean Climate
A Review
This review addresses general aspects of citrus pruning. It focuses, in more detail, on the practices used in Mediterranean countries, after years of work on pruning trials.
What does Research tell us about the Practice of Pruning in Arboriculture?
Article
Research drives best practices, and this article discusses how this has impacted our pruning practices. In addition, limited areas of pruning research are identified, such as health impacts and pruning cut types. The article provides insights into pruning research helpful to practicing arborists.
Safety
Wielding the A300 Standards Webinar
The ANSI A300 Standards are a documentation of what industry stakeholders can agree upon within the context of the ANSI approval process. When wielded correctly, they can form powerful legal weaponry to use both defensively and offensively. In this webinar, you will learn how to limit your liability when performing risk assessments by following the mandatory requirements. Learn how to avoid offensive strategies by plaintiffs that attack insufficiency of inspections, reports, and pruning practices.
Technology
Please check back for technology-related research. If you are aware of any research, please email a link to info@ohiochapterisa.org.
Tree Protection
Tree Lightning Protection Systems
Technical Paper
Tree lightning protection systems are intended to provide a preferred point for lightning attachment and a preferred path to ground for lightning strike currents.
Utility
Likelihood of Failure of Trees Along Electrical Utility Rights-of-Way
ISA Review
Utility vegetation managers need tools to predict tree-related risks and knowledge of the necessary management prescriptions to reduce the risk of windthrow damage to utilities' electrical infrastructure. This ISA literature review focuses on key studies involving the likelihood of failure of trees.
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Continuing Education
