June 8, 2027
12:00PM - 1:00PM EDT

Tree Talk Tuesday - Fungal Symbioses with Trees: The Mutualism to Parasitism Continuum

Webinar

Register Here

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Description: Fungi and trees are locked in a remarkable web of relationships, some beneficial, some benign, and some potentially deadly. This presentation explores that continuum, from quiet endophytes and wood-decomposing saprophytes to essential mycorrhizal partners and destructive pathogens. We’ll look at how fungi colonize tree tissues, how trees respond, and, most importantly, how understanding these interactions can help professional arborists interpret what they see in the field and make better-informed decisions about tree health, risk, and management.

Presenter: Dr. Smith serves as Director of the Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center and Professor of Biology and endowed Chair in Environmental and Ecological Sciences at the University of Mount Union. Jason teaches several courses in biology and environmental science and his research specializes in biology and management of fungal tree pathogens & forest health. He has published over 90 peer reviewed scientific journal publications and several books on the subject. Jason provides guidance to the Ohio Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture where he serves on the Education Committee. From 2006-2023 he was Professor at the University of Florida where he also served as State Forest Health Extension Specialist and member of the Emerging Pathogens Institute.

Tree Talk Tuesday Webinars are live; recordings are not available after the webinar.