sdu faculty of forestry journal special edition 2009 - Orman Fakültesi

SDÜ Faculty of Forestry Journal
regarded as the relicts of the original source of C. sempervirens var. horizontalis
due to the high diversity observed among the populations (Koral et al., 1997; Raddi
and Sümer, 1999; Ducrey et al., 1999). However, they constitute only 1392.5 ha of
forests within Turkey, where more than 75% of the total is degraded (Anonymous,
2006). The largest pure and mixed stands (mixed with Pinus brutia Ten.) of the
species are located in Köprülü Kanyon National Park, Antalya and in Aydıncık,
Mersin. Other cypress forests in Turkey are located mostly in the south-western
part of Turkey as small stands mainly mixed with Pinus brutia Ten. (Sabuncu,
2004). As everywhere else within its distribution area, the Mediterranean cypress
forests in Turkey have been frequently endangered by human activities, such as
deforestation and wild fires, as well as by overgrazing.
Several species of fungi have been associated with diseases of natural and
cultivated varieties of C. sempervirens. Among these fungi, Seiridium cardinale
(Wag.) Sutton and Gibson, the causal agent of the canker disease which had caused
heavy damage in forests, nurseries and ornamental plantations, especially in the
Mediterranean countries, has taken the most attention (Graniti, 1986, 1998). On the
other hand, many pathogens, such as Diplodia pinea f.sp. cupressi Solel, Madar,
Kimchi & Golan, Phomopsis occulta (Sacc.) Trav., Pestalotiopsis funerea (Desm.)
Steyaert, Fusarium sp. Link, Cytospora sp. and Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.)
Griffon & Maubl., (syn: Botryodiplodia theobromae (Pat.)) have also been found to be
the causal agents of the cankers on cypress (Solel et al., 1987; Bruck et al., 1990;
Madar et al., 1991, 1996; Linde et al., 1997; Ducrey et al., 1999; Gonthier and
Nicolotti, 2002; Bajo et al., 2008).
Although there are many reports on the phytopathological problems – especially
associated with Seiridium cardinale – of Mediterranean cypress where it has been
introduced, information of the relict stands of C. sempervirens is available only for
Greece and Cyprus (Xenopoulos and Diamandis, 1985; Tsopelas et al., 2007,
2008). The only exception is the paper by Sümer (1987) reporting two pathogens in
the Aegean coast of Turkey, S. cardinale (in Muğla) and P. funerea. No further
studies have been performed since then.
In this study, the presence of canker formations, top and crown diebacks,
foliage symptoms, resin exudation from the trees and insect associations were
investigated within natural cypress stands in two locations. In addition, isolation of
fungi from cankered tissues was tried.
2. MATERIALS and METHODS
2.1. Survey locations and sampling
The surveys and samplings were conducted in two natural stands of C.
sempervirens var. horizontalis located within Köprülü Kanyon National Park in
Antalya province and in Aydıncık Forestry Enterprise in Mersin, during September
and December 2008, respectively. The location, altitude, and some topographic and
stand characteristics of the sampling plots are given in Table 1.
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