Johanna Witzell

Professor

Department of Forestry and Wood Technology Faculty of Technology

johanna.witzell@lnu.se

+46 470-70 88 25

+46 70-230 90 56

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My research groups

Forest Management In the research field Forest Management, we address questions related to the sustainable use of forests, taking into account economic, social, and ecological aspects.
The Bridge A unique partnership between Södra, IKEA, and Linnaeus University that unites academia and industry for innovation and sustainability, focusing on forestry and wood.

My ongoing research projects

Publications

Article in journal (Refereed)

Dorado, F.J., Matsiakh, I., Camison, A., Olaizola, J., Romeralo, C., et al. (2025). Methyl jasmonate spray for the protection of broad-leaf trees against oomycete and fungal pathogens. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection. 132 (2).
Status: Published
Paletto, A., Sergiacomi, C., Marzano, M., Avdibegovic, M., Belka, M., et al. (2025). Collaborative approaches to urban tree biosecurity : Stakeholder's perceptions, actions and social networks. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 105.
Status: Published
Piispanen, J., Bergmann, U., Karhu, J., Kauppila, T., Witzell, J., et al. (2025). Lack of induced chemical changes in leaves of susceptible alternate hosts of Cronartium spp. after inoculation by Cronartium pini and C. ribicola. European journal of plant pathology.
Status: Epub ahead of print
Puertolas, J., Villar-Salvador, P., Andivia, E., Ahuja, I., Cocozza, C., et al. (2024). Die-hard seedlings. A global meta-analysis on the factors determining the effectiveness of drought hardening on growth and survival of forest plantations. Forest Ecology and Management. 572.
Status: Published
Medina, M., Reyes-Martin, M.P., Levy, L., Lazaro-Gonzalez, A., Andivia, E., et al. (2024). Ex situ germination of European acorns : data from 93 batches of 12 Quercus species. Annals of Forest Science. 81 (1).
Status: Published
Franic, I., Allan, E., Prospero, S., Adamson, K., Attorre, F., et al. (2023). Climate, host and geography shape insect and fungal communities of trees. Scientific Reports. 13 (1).
Status: Published
Macaya-Sanz, D., Witzell, J., Collada, C., Gil, L., Martin, J.A. (2023). Core endophytic mycobiome in Ulmus minor and its relation to Dutch elm disease resistance. Frontiers in Plant Science. 14.
Status: Published
Riit, T., Cleary, M., Adamson, K., Blomquist, M., Burokienė, D., et al. (2023). Oomycete Soil Diversity Associated with Betula and Alnus in Forests and Urban Settings in the Nordic–Baltic Region. Journal of Fungi. 9 (9).
Status: Published
Youssef, K., Dambrauskaite, M., Witzell, J., Rönnberg, J. (2023). Survey Study Reveals High Prevalence of Heterobasidion Root Rot Infection in Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Stands Established on Seemingly Low-Risk Sites. Forests. 14 (5).
Status: Published
Witzell, J., Sunnerstam, C., Hansson, T. (2023). Vaccination of Elms against Dutch Elm Disease : Are the Associated Epiphytes and Endophytes Affected?. Journal of Fungi. 9 (3).
Status: Published
Franic, I., Prospero, S., Adamson, K., Allan, E., Attorre, F., et al. (2022). Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs. Scientific Data. 9 (1).
Status: Published
Martinez-Arias, C., Witzell, J., Solla, A., Antonio Martin, J., Rodriguez-Calcerrada, J. (2022). Beneficial and pathogenic plant-microbe interactions during flooding stress. Plant, Cell and Environment. 45 (10). 2875-2897.
Status: Published
Witzell, J., Decker, V.H.G., Agostinelli, M., Romeralo, C., Cleary, M., et al. (2022). Aspen Leaves as a "Chemical Landscape" for Fungal Endophyte Diversity - Effects of Nitrogen Addition. Frontiers in Microbiology. 13.
Status: Published
Benavent-Celma, C., López-García, N., Ruba, T., Ściślak, M.E., Street-Jones, D., et al. (2022). Current practices and emerging possibilities for reducing the spread of oomycete pathogens in terrestrial and aquatic production systems in the European Union. Fungal Biology Reviews. 40. 19-36.
Status: Published
Romeralo, C., Martin-Garcia, J., Martinez-Alvarez, P., Jordan Munoz-Adalia, E., Goncalves, D.R., et al. (2022). Pine species determine fungal microbiome composition in a common garden experiment. Fungal ecology. 56.
Status: Published
Felton, A., Felton, A.M., Wam, H.K., Witzell, J., Wallgren, M., et al. (2022). Forest biodiversity and ecosystem services from spruce-birch mixtures : The potential importance of tree spatial arrangement. Environmental Challenges. 6.
Status: Published
Agostinelli, M., Nguyen, D., Witzell, J., Cleary, M. (2021). Mycobiome of Fraxinus excelsior With Different Phenotypic Susceptibility to Ash Dieback. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 4.
Status: Published
Pötzelsberger, E., Gossner, M.M., Beenken, L., Gazda, A., Petr, M., et al. (2021). Biotic threats for 23 major non-native tree species in Europe. Scientific Data. 8 (1).
Status: Published
Cleary, M., Blomquist, M., Marchand, M., Witzell, J. (2021). Oomycetes in rhizosphere soil of ornamental plants from retail nurseries in Southern Sweden. Forest Pathology. 51 (2).
Status: Published
Agostinelli, M., Cleary, M., Martín, J.A., Albrectsen, B.R., Witzell, J. (2018). Pedunculate Oaks (Quercus robur L.) Differing in Vitality as Reservoirs for Fungal Biodiversity. Frontiers in Microbiology. 9.
Status: Published
Grenville-Briggs, L.J., Kushwaha, S.K., Cleary, M.R., Witzell, J., Savenkov, E.I., et al. (2017). Draft genome of the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora cactorum strain LV007 isolated from European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Genomics Data. 12. 155-156.
Status: Published
Gunulf Åberg, A., Witzell, J., Rönnberg, J. (2016). Risk of False Positives during Sampling for Heterobasidion annosum s.l.. Plant Disease. 100 (1). 175-179.
Status: Published
Blumenstein, K., Macaya-Sanz, D., Martín, J.A., Albrectsen, B.R., Witzell, J. (2015). Phenotype MicroArrays as a complementary tool to next generation sequencing for characterization of tree endophytes. Frontiers in Microbiology. 6.
Status: Published
Martín, J.A., Witzell, J., Blumenstein, K., Rozpedowska, E., Helander, M., et al. (2013). Resistance to Dutch elm disease reduces presence of xylem endophytic fungi in Elms (Ulmus spp.). PLOS ONE. 8 (2).
Status: Published
Schiebe, C., Hammerbacher, A., Birgersson, G., Witzell, J., Brodelius, P.E., et al. (2012). Inducibility of chemical defenses in Norway spruce bark is correlated with unsuccessful mass attacks by the spruce bark beetle. Oecologia. 170 (1). 183-198.
Status: Published
Jensen, A.M., Löf, M., Witzell, J. (2012). Effects of competition and indirect facilitation by shrubs on Quercus robur saplings. Plant Ecology. 213 (4). 535-543.
Status: Published
Farnier, K., Bengtsson, M., Becher, P.G., Witzell, J., Witzgall, P., et al. (2012). Novel bioassay demonstrates attraction of the white potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida (Stone) to non-volatile and volatile host plant cues. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 38 (6). 795-801.
Status: Published
Edenius, L., Mikusiński, G., Witzell, J., Bergh, J. (2012). Effects of repeated fertilization of young Norway spruce on foliar phenolics and arthropods : implications for insectivorous birds’ food resources. Forest Ecology and Management. 277. 38-45.
Status: Published
Witzell, J., Berglund, M., Rönnberg, J. (2011). Does temperature regime govern the establishment of Heterobasidion annosum in Scandinavia?. International journal of biometeorology. 55 (3). 275-284.
Status: Published
Srivastava, V., Schinkel, H., Witzell, J., Hertzberg, M., Torp, M., et al. (2007). Downregulation of high-isoelectric-point extracellular superoxide dismutase mediates alterations in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species and developmental disturbances in hybrid aspen. The Plant Journal. 49 (1). 135-148.
Status: Published
Stenberg, J.A., Witzell, J., Ericson, L. (2006). Tall herb herbivory resistance reflects historic exposure to leaf beetles in a boreal archipelago age-gradient. Oecologia. 148 (3). 414-425.
Status: Published
Strengbom, J., Witzell, J., Nordin, A., Ericson, L. (2005). Do multitrophic interactions override N fertilization effects on Operophtera larvae?. Oecologia. 143 (2). 241-250.
Status: Published
Nordin, A., Strengbom, J., Witzell, J., Näsholm, T., Ericson, L. (2005). Nitrogen deposition and the biodiversity of boreal forests : implications for the nitrogen critical load.. Ambio. 34 (1). 20-24.
Status: Published
Witzell, J., Kuusela, T., Sarjala, T. (2005). Polyamine profiles of healthy and parasite-infected Vaccinium Myrtillus plants under nitrogen enrichment. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 31 (3). 561-575.
Status: Published
Witzell, J., Shevtsova, A. (2004). Nitrogen-induced changes in phenolics of Vaccinium myrtillus : implications for interaction with a parasitic fungus. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 30 (10). 1937-1956.
Status: Published

Chapter in book (Refereed)

Witzell, J., Romeralo Tapia, C., Aldea, J., Löf, M. (2022). Forest diversity and productivity : Implications for forest health in future climates. Forest Microbiology. Vol 2. Forest Tree Health. Academic Press. 49-59.

Article, review/survey (Refereed)

Lankinen, A., Witzell, J., Aleklett, K., Furenhed, S., Green, K.K., et al. (2024). Challenges and opportunities for increasing the use of low-risk plant protection products in sustainable production. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. Springer. 44 (2).
Status: Published
Felton, A., Petersson, L., Nilsson, O., Witzell, J., Cleary, M., et al. (2020). The tree species matters : Biodiversity and ecosystem service implications of replacing Scots pine production stands with Norway spruce.. Ambio. Springer. 49 (5). 1035-1049.
Status: Published

Chapter in book (Other academic)

Witzell, J., Romeralo, C., Martín, J.A. (2021). Translational research on the endophytic microbiome of forest trees. Forest Microbiology, Volume One : Tree Microbiome: Phyllosphere, Endosphere and Rhizosphere. Elsevier. 385-394.

Article in journal (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))

Normark, E., Witzell, J. (2022). Nya och gamla skogsskötselstrategier och skogsskador. Kungl. Skogs- och lantbruksakademiens tidskrift. 161 (7). 40-43.
Status: Published