Fingerprints of a forest fungus: Swiss needle cast, carbon isotopes, carbohydrates, and growth in Douglas-fir

Photograph by Andrea Watts

U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Science Findings
November 2014

Swiss needle cast is caused by a fungus native to the Pacific Northwest. Its host is Douglas-fir, an iconic evergreen tree in the region. The fungus does not kill its host, but it adversely affects the tree’s growth. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and their collaborators conducted a study to learn how Douglas-fir survive even when exhibiting severe Swiss needle cast symptoms. Read more…