The presentation will be an overview of the major exotic invasive forest diseases in California, including origins, biology, epidemiology, ecological impacts, and management strategies. The conclusion will summarize past theoretical frameworks used to study exotic diseases, and the new broader approaches that promise to improve our understanding of how invasive diseases become established and spread.
Dr. Matteo Garbelotto is the Forest Pathology Extension Specialist for the University of California, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management. He holds a BS in forestry and an MS in silviculture from the University of Padua, and an MS in plant pathology and a PhD in forest pathology, both from UC Berkeley. His PhD dissertation was on the genetics and ecology of Heterobasidion root disease, the most severe root disease of conifers worldwide, with a strong focus on California inland mountain ranges.
His main focus is currently the study of invasive forest diseases, their management, and public education on the subject. Matteo believes in equal footing collaborations between academic researchers and citizen scientists and has been fostering a better integration between the two equally talented and dedicated groups. He served on the European Food Safety Authority for one year, and is one of the two scientific advisors for the California Oak Mortality Task Force. His current projects span from French Polynesia and the Cook islands to the Mediterranean, and from Canada to New Zealand.