Home / Environment / Can 'Zombie Trees' Be Saved From Extinction?
Can 'Zombie Trees' Be Saved From Extinction?
23 Jan
Summary
- A new tree species, Rhodamnia zombi, is threatened by myrtle rust.
- Myrtle rust fungus prevents the 'zombie tree' from growing or reproducing.
- Scientists are propagating resistant tree cuttings for future reintroduction.
A recently identified rainforest tree species in Australia, Rhodamnia zombi, is critically endangered by myrtle rust. This aggressive fungal disease prevents the tree, nicknamed the 'zombie tree,' from growing or reproducing, leading to significant population decline since its formal assessment in 2020. Scientists are undertaking urgent conservation efforts to save the species.
Research indicates that myrtle rust, a bright yellow pathogen, repeatedly attacks young shoots, causing them to die before the tree can mature. Without intervention, the species, along with 16 others on a threat list, faces extinction within a generation. However, hope remains as related Rhodamnia species show resistance to the rust.
Conservationists are collecting disease-free cuttings for propagation at safe sites, with seedlings already showing promise in Lismore and Townsville. The ultimate goal is to reintroduce these resilient trees into their native rainforest habitat, allowing the species to recover and regain its ecological role. Scientists acknowledge this is an ambitious long shot, emphasizing the need for time and protection from the relentless fungus.
