Parasitic Nematode Munching Chinese Forests - Xinhua

[hatrack]

Beijing, Nov 19 : A parasite has eaten up thousands of pine trees and is threatening to cause a major ecological disaster in southern China, reports Xinhua. Nematodiasis or 'forest cancer', caused by the contagious nematode parasite, has infected nearly a third of Guangzhou city's forest cover and has killed more than 10,000 pine trees in the South China Botanical Garden alone.

Officials say the death of pine trees in Guangdong province could result in serious soil erosion and pollute the upper reaches of Liuxi river, the source of drinking water for more than 10 million people.

The parasite, carried by beetles, was until now found only in northern parts of the country. It first appeared in Shenzhen in 1988 and spread to many cities in the province, said Lin Duping, director of the Tree Disease Prevention and Control Department.

"We face many difficulties in eradicating the disease, one of the three major forest diseases in the world," Lin said. Trees can die within 40 days of infection, and there is no quick cure."

EDIT

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=43368

[havocmom]

1. The meek inheriting the earth.

They are invisible to most, like global warming, so nobody will see the real danger.

[hatrack]

3. I saw E.O. Wilson speak earlier this year re. nematodes

It was fascinating. He said that if you were to somehow remove all rocks, soil, trees, vegetation, manmade structures - basically, everything but nematodes - from the earth's surface, you'd still see the outlines of the continents and islands. There are that many of them out there in the soil. Astonishing.

[Unstuck In Time]

2. (checks to see if 'Parasitic Nematode'...

... is still available as a user name.)

:D

[havocmom]

4. too late

Cheney has it ;)