Dear Forest-entoids: My pathologist colleague Michelle Cleary asked me to
post this message below about her IUFRO Congress Session on our list.
-Sandy Liebhold
For everyone who works on topics related to biosecurity risks associated
with tree seeds, we are inviting you to *submit** an abstract*
for oral/poster presentation at *IUFRO 2024 World Congress*
(Stockholm, Sweden,
June 23-29, 2024;
https://iufro2024.com/)
*Session title*: The biosecurity risks of international movement of tree
seeds
*Session number*: T1.32
*Session organizers*: Iva Franić (SLU, Sweden), Ana Perez-Sierra (Forest
Research, UK), Marie-Anne Auger-Rozenberg (URZF INRAE, France), Thomas
Boivin (URFM INRAE, France), Michelle Cleary (SLU, Sweden), David Kolotelo
(BC Provincial Tree Seed Centre, Canada), Olle Rosenberg (Skogforsk, Sweden)
*Session Description:* Tree seeds have been considered as a minor
introduction pathway for pests (i.e., insects and fungi) in comparison with
seedlings. Consequently, tree seeds are often exempt from the existing
restrictions that aim to mitigate the risk of pest introductions, although
the regulations vary across countries. Tree seeds have shown to carry pests
that may pose immense danger to natural forests and nursery stock with
consequences to forest biodiversity and state’s economy. Some tree seed
pests may be biologically predisposed as good invaders because they can
stay dormant for long periods of time while showing no signs of presence in
seeds and thus easily stay unnoticed during inspections. This however might
differ between insects and fungi, and between pests specialized on
angiosperm and gymnosperm hosts. Although the risks of pest introductions
via seed movements seem to be significant, there is a lack of knowledge
required for a proper risk assessment, especially when considering the
changes in the global trade volumes, routes as well as the impacts of
climate change. This session aims at gathering contributions from
entomologists, phytopathologists and other seed specialists working with
gymnosperm and angiosperm seeds that might help to improve the assessment
of the biosecurity risks associated with seed trade. More specifically, we
aim at covering topics related to: volumes and directions of international
tree seed movements, international legislation for tree seed exchange, the
diversity of tree seed pests, tools and methods for their detection, as
well as the topics related to different aspects of the ecology of tree seed
pests that might be relevant for their introduction, establishment and
spread/impact in times of global change.
*Abstracts can be submitted at *
*https://iufro2024.com/call-for-congress-abstracts/*
<https://iufro2024.com/call-for-congress-abstracts/>* until June 2, 2023.*
We are looking forward to receiving your abstracts and meeting you in
Stockholm!
Kind regards,
Session organizers.