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Zhang YB, Corrêa Scalon M, Liu JX, Song XY, Yang D, Zhang YJ, Ellsworth DS, Zhang JL. You are what you eat: nutrient and water relations between mistletoes and hosts. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:567-583. [PMID: 36651017 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mistletoes play important roles in biogeochemical cycles. Although many studies have compared nutrient concentrations between mistletoes and their hosts, no general patterns have been found and the nutrient uptake mechanisms in mistletoes have not been fully resolved. To address the water and nutrient relations in mistletoes compared with their hosts, we measured 11 nutrient elements, two isotope ratios and two leaf morphological traits for 11 mistletoe and 104 host species from four sites across a large environmental gradient in southwest China. Mistletoes had significantly higher phosphorus, potassium, and boron concentrations, nitrogen isotope ratio, and lower carbon isotope ratio (δ13 C) indicative of lower water-use efficiency than hosts, but other elements were similar to those in hosts. Sites explained most of the variation in the multidimensional trait space. With increasing host nitrogen concentration, both mistletoe δ13 C and the difference between mistletoe and host δ13 C increased, providing evidence to support the 'nitrogen parasitism hypothesis'. Host nutrient concentrations were the best predictors for that of the mistletoe nutrient elements in most cases. Our results highlight the important roles of environmental conditions and host nutrient status in determining mistletoe nutrient pools, which together explain their trophic interactions with hosts in subtropical and tropical ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Bing Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Marina Corrêa Scalon
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Jing-Xin Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Yang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Da Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Yong-Jiang Zhang
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - David S Ellsworth
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
- Yuanjiang Savanna Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuanjiang, Yunnan, 653300, China
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Cocoletzi E, Angeles G, Briones O, Ceccantini G, Ornelas JF. The ecophysiology of a neotropical mistletoe depends on the leaf phenology of its tree hosts. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:1225-1237. [PMID: 32882058 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Mistletoes parasitize many hardwood and softwood tree species; however, they play key roles in forest ecosystems. Adult individuals of Psittacanthus schiedeanus take up water and xylem nutrients from both deciduous and evergreen host trees, suggesting the ability to modify its physiology according to the availability of host resources. Yet, there is little information regarding the effects of mistletoes on their host trees from the eophyll stage to reproductive phases of the parasite. METHODS Taking advantage of the fact that P. schiedeanus can reach sexual maturity in 1 year, we investigated its physiological performance during development on deciduous (Liquidambar styraciflua) and evergreen (Quercus germana) host trees in a cloud forest in eastern Mexico. Variables related to chlorophyll fluorescence, carbon assimilation, photosynthetic pigments, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon contents of the parasite and non-infected and infected hosts were analyzed in a nursery experiment. RESULTS Mistletoe had lower water-use efficiency and higher transpiration rates than the host species did. Despite the fact that P. schiedeanus obtained resources from species with differing phenology and resource availability, the parasite steadily improved its CO2 assimilation, electron transport rate, and nutrient content from seedling establishment to adult life stages. Mistletoe decreased the photosynthetic reactions of carbon metabolism in the deciduous host, photosynthetic light reactions in the evergreen host, and nutritional status of both host species, mostly in the evergreen host. CONCLUSIONS The hypothesis that mistletoes adjust their physiology according to the availability of host resources could extend to the early growth of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Oscar Briones
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, 91070, Mexico
| | - Gregório Ceccantini
- Dp. of Botany, Universidade de São Paulo, Institute of Biosciences, Rua do Matão 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
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Patykowski J, Dell M, Wevill T, Gibson M. Rarity and nutrient acquisition relationships before and after prescribed burning in an Australian box-ironbark forest. AOB PLANTS 2018; 10:ply032. [PMID: 29942459 PMCID: PMC6007787 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/ply032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient cycling is greatly influenced by dominant plants that contribute high amounts of leaf litter to soils; however, less-dominant and rare species can play keystone roles in nutrient cycling if they have unique nutrient acquisition traits and provide high-quality litter. In many parts of the world, wildfire is likely to become more frequent and intense under a changing climate. The effect this will have on plant rarity and on species with unique nutrient acquisition traits, and thus nutrient cycling, remains poorly understood. Working within an Australian box-ironbark forest, we determined if a relationship existed between species rarity and the uniqueness of their leaf nutrient profiles, and if this relationship changed after prescribed burning. We created an index of species rarity from a data set of woody perennial species abundance in areas before and after autumn or spring burns, or left unburnt. We created indices of uniqueness for the leaf nutrient profiles of 42 woody perennial species occurring in the ecosystem, based on amounts of six macronutrients and four micronutrients found in fresh and senesced leaves of each species. Five nutrient acquisition strategies (mycorrhizal, N-fixing, carnivorous, hemiparasitic and proteoid roots) were represented in the data set. There was no community-wide relationship between rarity and uniqueness of leaf nutrient profiles, and this did not change as a result of fire. However, two hemiparasitic species were relatively rare in the ecosystem studied, and differed greatly from other species due to high K and P in senesced leaves. Thus, some of the rarest species, such as hemiparasites, can be functionally unique. Understanding the functional characteristics of rare species is important so that unique functional contributors can be identified and conserved to prevent local extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Patykowski
- Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood Campus), Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matt Dell
- Ecology Australia Pty Ltd, Fairfield, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tricia Wevill
- Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood Campus), Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maria Gibson
- Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood Campus), Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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