Up to now there is no effective counter-measure against ash dieback. A silver lining could however be that approx. one percent of ash trees seems to be naturally resistant to the disease. One possible measure for containing the disease and the resulting ash dieback is therefore to promote reproduction of resistant trees or foster the development of natural resistance. But we do not yet know why some trees are resistant and how we can reliably detect such resistance.
Anna Eisen now investigates the correlation between the ash trees’ health and their pollen production. To this end, the scientist collects samples in dizzy heights of up to 20 meters by using a mobile man lift and evaluates the pollen’s viability which might provide information on how successful reproduction of the plants could be. She also installed eleven pollen traps in order to track pollination in the riparian forest. Anna Eisen has been working in the forest on a daily basis since March to change the specimen slides that collect the pollen. She also uses the man lift for vertical pollen measurements in five different heights. “By changing the specimen slides on an hourly basis, we can draw conclusions on changes in pollen concentration during the course of the day”, explains Anna Eisen. “This information is of major importance for being able to estimate the reproductive success in fragmented stocks of trees.”
The researcher will continue to work in the forest until mid-May. After that, she will start the evaluation of samples under the microscope in the university laboratory. In spring 2020, a new collection process will be initiated.
