Meet the Researcher: Dorah Mwangola

Dorah

SPOTLIGHT SERIES

Ph.D. Student  | she/her/hers

Dorah Mkabili Mwangola is part of an MITPPC-funded team – led by entomologist Brian Aukema – that is working on saving urban ash trees from the invasive emerald ash borer.

What is the emerald ash borer (EAB), and where is it found?

EAB is an invasive wood-boring insect, first introduced to North America in the 1990's. It is native to northeastern China, the Korean peninsula, and eastern Russia, and has been detected in 35 American states and 5 Canadian provinces to date.

Why is EAB a problem?

EAB is a problem because it kills North American ash trees (Fraxinus species). Ash trees are a prominent street tree as well as an important tree in many natural forests. EAB larvae feed underneath the bark of ash and disrupt the tree's vascular system – which transports nutrients and water up the tree – resulting in crown thinning and eventually tree death.