Bart J. Van der Kamp

My main research interest revolves around the expression of Armillaria root disease in the moist, mid-elevation forests of the southern interior of British Columbia. In these forest, Armillaria ostoyae is very widely distributed, but it is expressed in very different ways. In some places, the pathogen is quiescent, meaning it is present on roots, but almost exclusively restricted to callused lesions. In such stands there are virtually no above-ground symptoms and presumably little damage. On the other hand it can also be active, advancing along roots, killing trees, and spreading from tree to tree. My research is focused on the factors that lead to quiescence or active expression. The ultimate aim is to devise silvicultural approaches that will keep stands in a quiescent state.