OnlineFirst Articles
EUPHRESCO III-Special Issue on Plant Health Research Priorities-REVIEW

Oak decline in forest and urban ecosystems: impacts, diagnoses and management strategies

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  • Alessandro BENE,
  • Marzia VERGINE,
  • Letizia PORTACCIO,
  • Guido PIRAINO,
  • Luigi DE BELLIS,
  • Andrea LUVISI
Alessandro BENE
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Marzia VERGINE
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Letizia PORTACCIO
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Guido PIRAINO
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Luigi DE BELLIS
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Andrea LUVISI
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/phyto-17067
Categories

Published 2026-07-28

Keywords

  • Acute and chronic decline,
  • multitrophic disease complexes,
  • vector–pathogen interactions,
  • tree health monitoring

How to Cite

[1]
A. BENE, M. VERGINE, L. PORTACCIO, G. PIRAINO, L. DE BELLIS, and A. LUVISI, “Oak decline in forest and urban ecosystems: impacts, diagnoses and management strategies”, Phytopathol. Mediterr., Jul. 2026.

Copyright (c) 2026 Alessandro BENE, Marzia VERGINE, Letizia PORTACCIO, Guido PIRAINO, Luigi DE BELLIS, Andrea LUVISI

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Oak decline, in acute and chronic forms, is an emerging challenge in the forest and urban environments of Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Oak trees have central ecological and cultural roles: they support diverse organism communities, are involved in hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, and provide ecosystem services in natural and anthropised landscapes. Populations of Quercus species are increasingly threatened by combined effects of extreme weather events, soil degradation, hydrological imbalance, and increasing numbers of emerging pathogens. These factors interact in complex ways, often accelerating decline processes and complicating diagnoses and management. Advances in visual assessment, remote sensing, and molecular tools are improving early decline diagnoses, and accurate assessments of severity. Integrated management approaches, incorporating vegetation management, adaptive silviculture, and soil and water conservation, offer promising pathways to improve oak tree resilience. Attention is required in urban settings, where chronic abiotic stress and site constraints amplify tree vulnerability. Long-term monitoring networks and multidisciplinary approaches are essential for understanding disease progression, anticipating risks, and guiding effective interventions. This review synthesises current knowledge on oak decline dynamics, diagnostic approaches and management strategies, providing a framework to support sustainable, science-based strategies, to mitigate the disease and ensure long-term viability of oak-dominated landscapes.

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