FIR NECROSIS
Parnitha's firforest faces a mortality problem for more than 45 years. The first image captured of the National Park by a visitor's eye is sick, old, dried and puny trees.
This mortality is caused by a bark-eating insect, called Gryphalus
piceae. According to researchers (Tsopelas, 2002), the problem has increased the past few years. It is estimated that each year an average of 50,000 trees die!
Press here to read an abstract of the relative research.
The birdlime (or mistletoe, Viscum album) is a hemi-parasite that attacks the fir and it is believed to contribute to the decay of the trees. The firs become more vulnerable to the bark-eating insects and die.
Mortality problems have also been observed in oaks and broaleaved bushes, caused by the caterpillar of the moth Limantria dispar,
while the cypresses all-over Greece face serious cancer problems and die.
