Spatial risk analysis for Phytophthora x alni infection of alder fragments in Scotland
https://doi.org/10.5285/824f9ba8-7d1c-4a82-b5ec-a4f850f1d370
Cite this dataset as:
Barwell, L.; Turvey, K.; Amankaa, G.; Asaaga, F.; Cooke, D.E.L.; Mitchell, R.; Purse, B.V. (2025). Spatial risk analysis for Phytophthora x alni infection of alder fragments in Scotland. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/824f9ba8-7d1c-4a82-b5ec-a4f850f1d370
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This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence 
This dataset scores the relative risks of Phytophthora x alni infection for 50034 fragments in Scotland identified as containing any of the three alder species susceptible to the pathogen (common alder, Italian alder and grey alder). Fragment risk scores integrate climate suitability (using pathogen-specific temperature-dependent growth curves and a relative humidity threshold), proximity to rivers/flooding, connectivity to other alder fragments via flood events and recent planting of alder under forestry grant schemes. Data and models used to score risk factors are variable in their time frames, but are broadly representative of the period from 2013 to 2023. Phytophthora disease of alder has been widespread in southern England since at least 1995 and became more prevalent in annual surveys between 1994 and 2003. It has been confirmed at several riparian sites in Scotland. P. x alni diseases are reported only from the alder genus.
Publication date: 2025-10-08
View numbers valid from 08 October 2025 Download numbers valid from 08 October 2025 (information prior to this was not collected)
Formats
TIFF, geopackage
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation types
Raster
Vector
Vector
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2013-01-01 to 2023-12-31
Provenance & quality
We employed an iterative and collaborative co-production process that brought together stakeholders with diverse expertise from across Scotland's plant health sector representing forestry, conservation, horticulture, and government agencies through a semi-structured process of survey and workshops. Fragments containing alder species were extracted from the National Forest Estate Sub-compartments 2019, Native Woodland Survey of Scotland and global database of host-Phytophthora detections, removing any felled areas since 2013 using the National Forest Inventory. Key risk factors (climate suitability, proximity to rivers/flooding, connectivity to other alder fragments via flood events and recent planting of alder) and their scoring were agreed with 15 cross-sectoral stakeholders through a self-completion survey and two workshops. The final report was peer reviewed by the Plant Health Centre. In addition, a knowledge integration and validation workshop (November 13, 2024) examined the adequacy of the outputs for horizon scanning and decision-making across sectors. Validation of the climate suitability models has been attempted using independent UK and European detections of Phytophthora x alni.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Barwell, L.; Turvey, K.; Amankaa, G.; Asaaga, F.; Cooke, D.E.L.; Mitchell, R.; Purse, B.V. (2025). Spatial risk analysis for Phytophthora x alni infection of alder fragments in Scotland. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/824f9ba8-7d1c-4a82-b5ec-a4f850f1d370
Related
Correspondence/contact details
Authors
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1643-1046 Other contacts
Rights holder
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Additional metadata
Keywords
Funding
Natural Environment Research Council Award: NE/V019813/1
Scotland's Plant Health Centre Award: PHC2023/02
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Award: TH12224FR10
Scotland's Plant Health Centre Award: PHC2023/02
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Award: TH12224FR10