Evaluate the collective function of references cited together in a given text segment.
Classify their combined role into one of the following categories: 'method', 'background', or 'result'.

Text:…be widely distributed in Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, Portugal, Thailand and Venezuela (Crous et al. 2006, 2007b; Hunter et al. 2006; Whyte et al. 2005) and it is also considered a primary pathogen that can affect as much as 70% of the foliage of susceptible trees (Whyte et al.…
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