Knowledge Hub
The CFP Knowledge Hub promotes the sharing of evidence, expertise and best practice that can help promote the resilience of forests and woodlands. Here you can find links to resources created by our projects, articles and summaries of our research and links to other useful resources. It serves as a valuable tool for a wide range of users including researchers, practitioners, policymakers, teachers/trainers and students.
Library
Academic publications
Articles & project reports
Datasets
External resources
Rapid polygenic adaptation in a wild population of ash trees under a novel fungal epidemic
Rapid evolution via small shifts in allele frequencies at thousands of loci are a long- standing neo-Darwinian prediction but are hard to characterize in the wild. European ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) populations have recently come under strong selection by the invasive fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Using genomic prediction models based on field trial phenotypes and 7,985 loci, we show a shift in genomically estimated breeding values in an ancient woodland, between adult trees established before the epidemic started and juvenile trees established since. Using simulations, we estimate that natural selection has eliminated 31% of the juvenile population. Thus, we document a highly polygenic heritable micro-evolutionary adaptive change over a single generation in the wild.
The State of Forest Genetic Resources in the UK
Trees and other woodland plants are species that have economic, environmental, scientific or societal value. Plant species have traits that can be passed on to their offspring, and the reproductive materials that produces the next generation of plants that are considered of value is known as ‘forest genetic resources’. These materials can be seeds and propagules, tissue cultures, living plants or DNA samples.
In our pilot year, one of the projects developed a national report on the State of Forest Genetic Resources in the United Kingdom <<link to be added>>, which will be published by Defra. The report was part of a global effort to capture the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources. It covers a definition of which species are considered to be UK forest genetic resources, and which are at risk. A section on conservation looks at ‘gene-conservation units’ within natural woodlands, and conservation through seed banking and living clone collections. Two further sections examine the use, development and management of resources, and the policies, stakeholders, leadership and capacity to protect and research these resources.
The main recommendation of the report is that a strategic approach in which conservation, use, management and development of FGR are brought under a clearly defined framework.
Further information on forest genetic resources can be found on the UK Forest Genetic Resources website >>
Other Publications from our Lead Partners
Kew research repository
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew research repository is an open access repository for the research produced by staff and research associates of RBG Kew. The repository currently houses material such as journal articles, conference papers, books and book chapters, reports, datasets and images.
Forest Research publications catalogue
Find out about the wide range of information to support sustainable forest management in Britain. The catalogue includes the Forestry Commission’s publication library and archive, as well as Forest Research articles and guidance.
Summary Project Report – Consolidating, curating and using existing datasets for ash genomics
Ash dieback is a highly destructive disease of ash trees, especially the European ash, one of the UK’s most common woodland trees. Caused by an invasive fungus (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), ash dieback is predicted to cost the UK £7.6 billion by 2030.
The aim of this project was to uncover the genetic basis of resistance to ash dieback, which can be used to inform potential ash breeding programmes and, ultimately, assist the long-term survival of native ash populations.
Summary Project Report – Evaluating the value of horizon scanning methods to assess threats to British-grown trees
British forestry is highly reliant upon non-native tree species such as Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir which originate from western North America. However, non-native trees may be at risk from native pests and diseases, the threats of which can be intensified by climate change. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop approaches for identifying potential new threats, to inform new tree planting schemes and ensure future forest health.
This project aimed to develop an innovative, data-driven horizon scanning framework for identifying threats to key tree species growing in Britain. The approach could also be extended to other species, including native British species growing in other parts of the world.
Summary Project Report – Generating data for a genome-wide association study on acute oak decline
Acute oak decline (AOD) is a complex disease affecting thousands of UK oak trees, many of which die every year. The aim of this study was to identify genetic factors contributing to AOD susceptibility in UK oak populations, which is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of this devastating disease.
Summary Project Report – Scoping multi-species genotyping for genome-environment association study
UK woodlands need to adapt to a warming climate, which may disrupt existing patterns of local adaptation. We need to make careful choices about the sources of seeds in order to plant resilient woodlands. To do this, we need to understand the genetic basis of adaptation within tree species.
The aim of this project was to identify genetic variations in collections of UK birch and alder seeds that are associated with possible adaptations to different local environments.
Kew Ash Genome Resources
Centre for Forest Protection projects have contributed to RBG Kew’s ash genome resource with an improved version of the reference genome for European ash and a reference genome from a low-susceptibility tree. You can find information about Kew’s ash genome projects on The British Ash Tree Genome Project website.
Links to all of Kew’s ash resources can be found on the ash community on Zenodo.
You can also find more information about these resources in our blogs and news pages.
Read the blog: European Ash – how an improved reference genome can help our research >>
News items: A new reference genome from a healthy ash tree >>
Raw Sequenced Genome Datasets
The Centre for Forest Protection projects have included whole genome sequencing. The raw sequenced data are publicly available as follows:
Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) raw genome sequences on ENA Browser, Project PRJEB44697 >>
Oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea) genome sequences on NCBI, Project PRJNA816149 >>
Oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea) genome sequences on ENA Browser, Project PRJEB43909 >> (funded by Defra Future Proofing Plant Health).
Oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea) genome sequences on ENA Browser, Project PRJEB30573 >> (funded by Action Oak).
Data from our Lead Partners
Ash dieback map
View UK areas where ash dieback has been confirmed to be affecting ash trees in the natural environment.
Forest Research Open Data
Download a wide range of Forest Research and Forestry Commission spatial datasets for use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Map layers available for either England, Scotland, Wales or all of Great Britain, include surveys of tree pests and diseases.
Visit the Forestry Commission’s Open Data website >>
Kew data and digital resources
Explore Kew’s data, tools and resources for a wide range of plant and fungal information.
Forest Research resources
The Forest Research website has a wealth of information >>
Forest Research pest and disease information >>
Tree Alert – for reporting tree health concerns >>
The Climate Change Hub brings together information and practical guidance about protecting our UK woodlands and forests from the impacts and risks due to the changing climate through adaptive practice.
Observatree Citizen Science Project
The Observatree project provides a range of free field identification guides, host of the month information sheets, guides, pest & disease resources, posters, training videos and webinars from the Observatree citizen science project. Working with the UK Plant Health Risk Group, Observatree has identified the pests and diseases that are of the highest concern to the UK.
Observatree resource library >>
Kew resources
Careers
The following organisations have useful information about careers in Forestry and Forestry Science:
Careers in Forestry – Royal Forestry Society >>
Routes into forestry careers – GOV.UK >>
Find a career in forestry: resources and guidance – GOV.UK >>
Careers in entomology – Royal Entomological Society >>
Careers and Educational Courses – BSPP – The British Society for Plant Pathology >>
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