Editing American chestnut (section)

==Reduced population==
American chestnuts were a common part of the forest canopy in [[southeast Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/abstracts/ecology/Mesic_southern_forest.pdf |title=Mesic Southern Forest |work=mnfi.anr.msu.edu |access-date=October 29, 2015 }}</ref> Although large trees are currently rare east of the [[Mississippi River]], they exist in pockets in the blight-free West, where the habitat was agreeable for planting: settlers took seeds with them in the 19th century. Huge planted chestnut trees can be found in [[Sherwood, Oregon]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Oregon Chestnut Trees|url=https://www.tacf.org/nc-sc/photos/oregon-chestnut-trees/|access-date=2020-07-28|website=The American Chestnut Foundation|language=en-US|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128021600/https://tacf.org/nc-sc/photos/oregon-chestnut-trees/}}</ref> as the [[Mediterranean climate]] of the West Coast discourages the fungus, which relies on hot, humid summer weather. American chestnut also thrives as far north as [[Revelstoke, British Columbia]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Decade of Progress|url=http://www.canadianchestnutcouncil.ca/index.cfm?page=decadeOfProgress|access-date=2020-07-28|website=canadianchestnutcouncil.ca}}</ref>

At present, it is believed that survival of ''C.&nbsp;dentata'' for more than a decade in its native range is almost impossible. The fungus uses various oak trees as a host,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/cankers/chestnut-blight.aspx|title=Chestnut Blight|last=Garden|first=Missouri Botanical|website=missouribotanicalgarden.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-07}}</ref> and while the oak is unaffected, American chestnuts nearby will succumb to the blight in approximately a year or more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Cryphonectria_parasitica.htm|title=Cryphonectria_parasitica|website=www.columbia.edu|access-date=2017-05-07}}</ref> In addition, the hundreds of chestnut stumps and "living stools" dotting eastern woodlands may still contain active pathogens. It is considered extirpated from [[Florida]] and [[Illinois]].

The reduced population of American chestnuts directly impacted many species of insects that relied upon the tree species for survival. Of approximately 60 species that feed upon the American chestnut, seven rely entirely on the American chestnut as a food source. Some of these, like the [[American chestnut moth]], are now extinct or severely reduced in population.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Opler |first=P. A. |date=January 1978 |title=Insects of American chestnut: possible importance and conservation concern |journal=The American Chestnut Symposium |pages=83–85 |location=Morgantown, West Virginia |publisher=West Virginia University Press |url=https://rngr.net/publications/chestnut/1978/insects-of-american-chestnut-possible-importance-and-conservation-concern/at_download/file }}</ref>