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Zimmerbeutel A, Diekötter T, Reck H, Nissen H, Wiedmann LJ, Donath TW. Effects of litter amount and seed sowing position on seedling emergence and growth of hemiparasitic Rhinanthus species under drought stress. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2024; 26:437-445. [PMID: 38430522 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/04/2024]
Abstract
Roadside vegetation in Central Europe is mostly species-poor and dominated by a few grass species. Hemiparasitic plant species, including Rhinanthus spp., might effectively restrict grass growth, thereby making space for light-dependent herb species. Despite the significance of abiotic site conditions for plant establishment in general, their effects on Rhinanthus establishment are less well known. We investigated combined effects of water availability, litter amount and seed position within litter on Rhinanthus seedling emergence and growth. Two parallel greenhouse experiments were conducted with R. angustifolius and R. minor. In these, we tested the impact of 200 or 400 g litter·m-2 with seeds sown beneath or on top of a litter layer under constantly humid or intermittently dry conditions on seedling emergence and biomass production of Rhinanthus. Presence of litter positively affected Rhinanthus seedling emergence when sown beneath the litter layer and reduced negative effects of water deficiency. Sowing beneath a litter layer increased seedling emergence by 157%, with similar effects at 200 and 400 g litter·m-2. Water level did not affect biomass production. Compared to R. minor, R. angustifolius had higher mean biomass, and its seedlings emerged earlier and in higher numbers. Our results indicate that Rhinanthus spp. react similarly to litter as non-hemiparasitic plant species from temperate grasslands. Litter presence positively influenced Rhinanthus seedling emergence and growth under intermittently dry conditions. Its hemiparasitic characteristics might reduce drought impacts on biomass production. To ensure seed contact with the soil surface, seeds should be sown when no litter is present, or mulching should occur post-sowing.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Zimmerbeutel
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - T Diekötter
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - H Reck
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - H Nissen
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - L J Wiedmann
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - T W Donath
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Conservation, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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2
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Moncalvillo B, Matthies D. Performance of a parasitic plant and its effects on hosts depends on the interactions between parasite seed family and host species. AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plac063. [PMID: 36751364 PMCID: PMC9893871 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plac063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Root hemiparasitic plants act as keystone species influencing plant community composition through their differential suppression of host species. Their own performance also strongly depends on interactions with host species. However, little is known about the roles of parasite genetic variation vs. plasticity in these interactions. We grew plants from eight maternal families of the root hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus with six potential host species (two grasses, two legumes and two forbs) and without a host and measured fitness-related and morphological traits of the parasite, host biomass and overall productivity. Parasite biomass and other traits showed strong plastic variation in response to different host species, but were also affected by parasite maternal family. Parasite seed families responded differently to the hosts, indicating genetic variation that could serve as the basis for adaptation to different host plants. However, there were no negative correlations in the performance of families across different hosts, indicating that R. alectorolophus has plastic generalist genotypes and is not constrained in its use of different host species by trade-offs in performance. Parasite effects on host biomass (which may indicate virulence) and total productivity (host + parasite biomass) depended on the specific combination of parasite family and host species. Mean biomass of hosts with a parasite family and mean biomass of that family tended to be negatively correlated, suggesting selection for maximum resource extraction from the hosts. Specialization of generalist root hemiparasites may be restricted by a lack of trade-offs in performance across hosts, together with strong spatial and temporal variation in host species availability. The genetic variation in the effects on different hosts highlights the importance of genetic diversity of hemiparasites for their effects on plant community structure and productivity and for the success of using them to restore grassland diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diethart Matthies
- Plant Ecology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
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3
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Granados-Hernández LA, Pisanty I, Raventós J, Ezcurra E. An evolutionary approach by second derivatives of the population growth rate of Castilleja tenuiflora, a hemiparasitic plant with and without hosts. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10224-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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4
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Hodžić J, Pearse I, Beaury EM, Corbin JD, Bakker JD. Root hemiparasitic plants are associated with more even communities across North America. Ecology 2022; 103:e3837. [PMID: 36178041 PMCID: PMC10077900 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Root hemiparasitic plants both compete with and extract resources from host plants. By reducing the abundance of dominant plants and releasing subordinates from competitive exclusion, they can have an outsized impact on plant communities. Most research on the ecological role of hemiparasites is manipulative and focuses on a small number of hemiparasitic taxa. Here, we ask whether patterns in natural plant communities match the expectation that hemiparasites affect the structure of plant communities. Our data were collected on 129 national park units spanning the continental United States. The most common hemiparasite genera were Pedicularis, Castilleja, Krameria, and Comandra. We used null models and linear mixed models to determine whether hemiparasites were associated with changes in community richness and evenness. Hemiparasite presence did not affect community metrics. Hemiparasite abundance was positively associated with increasing evenness of herbaceous species, but not with species richness. The associations that we observed on a continental scale are consistent with evidence that the impacts of root hemiparasitic plants on evenness can be substantial and abundance dependent but that effects on richness are less pronounced. Hemiparasites mediate competitive exclusion in communities to facilitate species coexistence and merit consideration of inclusion in ecological theories of coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasna Hodžić
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA
| | - Ian Pearse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO
| | - Evelyn M. Beaury
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA
| | | | - Jonathan D. Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA
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5
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A neotropical mistletoe influences herbivory of its host plant by driving changes in the associated insect community. Naturwissenschaften 2022; 109:27. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-022-01798-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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6
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Teixeira‐Costa L, Heberling JM, Wilson CA, Davis CC. Parasitic flowering plant collections embody the extended specimen. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Teixeira‐Costa
- Harvard University Herbaria Cambridge MA USA
- Hanse‐Wissenschaftskolleg – Institute for Advanced Study, Lehmkuhlenbusch 4, 27753 Delmenhorst Germany
| | | | - Carol A. Wilson
- University and Jepson Herbaria University of California, Berkeley, 1001 Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley CA USA
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7
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Cirocco RM, Facelli E, Delean S, Facelli JM. Does phosphorus influence performance of a native hemiparasite and its impact on a native legume? PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:1889-1900. [PMID: 34410015 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient and can become limiting in terrestrial ecosystems where parasitic plant:host associations occur. Yet little is known on how P availability influences parasite performance and its impact on hosts. We investigated the performance of the Australian native stem hemiparasite Cassytha pubescens and its impact on the native leguminous shrub Acacia paradoxa in high or low P conditions in a glasshouse experiment. Infected plants had significantly lower total, shoot, root and nodule biomass and shoot:root ratio than uninfected plants, regardless of P supply. The significant negative effect of infection on arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation of host roots was more severe in the high P treatment. Infection significantly decreased predawn quantum yield of A. paradoxa in low P but not high P conditions. This finding may be due to the parasite-induced significant enrichment of aluminium in host foliage in low P but not high P treatments. A. paradoxa had significantly lower foliar phosphorus concentration [P] and nitrogen concentration in low P than high P conditions. Parasite biomass and photosynthetic performance were unaffected by P, whereas C. pubescens had significantly lower stem [P] in the low P than high P treatment. Parasite carbon isotope composition was significantly higher than that of the host, especially in low P conditions. Our results show that: (a) native parasite growth and its negative impact on growth of this native shrub was unaffected by P supply and (b) soil P conditions may have no influence on stem hemiparasite:host associations in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Cirocco
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Evelina Facelli
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Steven Delean
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - José M Facelli
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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8
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Lázaro-González A, Gargallo-Garriga A, Hódar JA, Sardans J, Oravec M, Urban O, Peñuelas J, Zamora R. Implications of mistletoe parasitism for the host metabolome: A new plant identity in the forest canopy. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:3655-3666. [PMID: 34486744 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mistletoe-host systems exemplify an intimate and chronic relationship where mistletoes represent protracted stress for hosts, causing long-lasting impact. Although host changes in morphological and reproductive traits due to parasitism are well known, shifts in their physiological system, altering metabolite concentrations, are less known due to the difficulty of quantification. Here, we use ecometabolomic techniques in the plant-plant interaction, comparing the complete metabolome of the leaves from mistletoe (Viscum album) and needles from their host (Pinus nigra), both parasitized and unparasitized, to elucidate host responses to plant parasitism. Our results show that mistletoe acquires metabolites basically from the primary metabolism of its host and synthesizes its own defence compounds. In response to mistletoe parasitism, pines modify a quarter of their metabolome over the year, making the pine canopy metabolome more homogeneous by reducing the seasonal shifts in top-down stratification. Overall, host pines increase antioxidant metabolites, suggesting oxidative stress, and also increase part of the metabolites required by mistletoe, which act as a permanent sink of host resources. In conclusion, by exerting biotic stress and thereby causing permanent systemic change, mistletoe parasitism generates a new host-plant metabolic identity available in forest canopy, which could have notable ecological consequences in the forest ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Lázaro-González
- Department of Ecology, Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Albert Gargallo-Garriga
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Global Change Research Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - José Antonio Hódar
- Department of Ecology, Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Michal Oravec
- Global Change Research Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Otmar Urban
- Global Change Research Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Regino Zamora
- Department of Ecology, Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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10
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Jiang R, Zhang G. Distribution patterns and influencing factors of different parasitic angiosperm types in China. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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11
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Těšitel J, Li AR, Knotková K, McLellan R, Bandaranayake PCG, Watson DM. The bright side of parasitic plants: what are they good for? PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 185:1309-1324. [PMID: 33793868 PMCID: PMC8133642 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic plants are mostly viewed as pests. This is caused by several species causing serious damage to agriculture and forestry. There is however much more to parasitic plants than presumed weeds. Many parasitic plans exert even positive effects on natural ecosystems and human society, which we review in this paper. Plant parasitism generally reduces the growth and fitness of the hosts. The network created by a parasitic plant attached to multiple host plant individuals may however trigger transferring systemic signals among these. Parasitic plants have repeatedly been documented to play the role of keystone species in the ecosystems. Harmful effects on community dominants, including invasive species, may facilitate species coexistence and thus increase biodiversity. Many parasitic plants enhance nutrient cycling and provide resources to other organisms like herbivores or pollinators, which contributes to facilitation cascades in the ecosystems. There is also a long tradition of human use of parasitic plants for medicinal and cultural purposes worldwide. Few species provide edible fruits. Several parasitic plants are even cultivated by agriculture/forestry for efficient harvesting of their products. Horticultural use of some parasitic plant species has also been considered. While providing multiple benefits, parasitic plants should always be used with care. In particular, parasitic plant species should not be cultivated outside their native geographical range to avoid the risk of their uncontrolled spread and the resulting damage to ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Těšitel
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno 611 37, Czech Republic
| | - Ai-Rong Li
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Kateřina Knotková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno 611 37, Czech Republic
| | - Richard McLellan
- Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, New South Wales 2640, Australia
| | - Pradeepa C G Bandaranayake
- Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
| | - David M Watson
- Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, New South Wales 2640, Australia
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Giesemann P, Rasmussen HN, Gebauer G. Partial mycoheterotrophy is common among chlorophyllous plants with Paris-type arbuscular mycorrhiza. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:645-653. [PMID: 33547798 PMCID: PMC8052919 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS An arbuscular mycorrhiza is a mutualistic symbiosis with plants as carbon providers for fungi. However, achlorophyllous arbuscular mycorrhizal species are known to obtain carbon from fungi, i.e. they are mycoheterotrophic. These species all have the Paris type of arbuscular mycorrhiza. Recently, two chlorophyllous Paris-type species proved to be partially mycoheterotrophic. In this study, we explore the frequency of this condition and its association with Paris-type arbuscular mycorrhiza. METHODS We searched for evidence of mycoheterotrophy in all currently published 13C, 2H and 15N stable isotope abundance patterns suited for calculations of enrichment factors, i.e. isotopic differences between neighbouring Paris- and Arum-type species. We found suitable data for 135 plant species classified into the two arbuscular mycorrhizal morphotypes. KEY RESULTS About half of the chlorophyllous Paris-type species tested were significantly enriched in 13C and often also enriched in 2H and 15N, compared with co-occurring Arum-type species. Based on a two-source linear mixing model, the carbon gain from the fungal source ranged between 7 and 93 % with ferns > horsetails > seed plants. The seed plants represented 13 families, many without a previous record of mycoheterotrophy. The 13C-enriched chlorophyllous Paris-type species were exclusively herbaceous perennials, with a majority of them thriving on shady forest ground. CONCLUSIONS Significant carbon acquisition from fungi appears quite common and widespread among Paris-type species, this arbuscular mycorrhizal morphotype probably being a pre-condition for developing varying degrees of mycoheterotrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Giesemann
- University of Bayreuth, Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Hanne N Rasmussen
- University of Copenhagen, Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources, Rolighedsvej, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Gerhard Gebauer
- University of Bayreuth, Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth, Germany
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13
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Yuan Y, van Kleunen M, Li J. A parasite indirectly affects nutrient distribution by common mycorrhizal networks between host and neighboring plants. Ecology 2021; 102:e03339. [PMID: 33709414 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cascading effects are ubiquitous in nature and can modify ecological processes. Most plants have mutualistic associations with mycorrhizal fungi, and can be connected to neighboring plants through common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs). However, little is known about how the distribution of nutrients by CMNs to the interconnected plants is affected by higher trophic levels, such as parasitic plants. We hypothesized that parasitism would indirectly drive CMNs to allocate more nutrients to the nonparasitized neighboring plants rather than to the parasitized host plants, and that this would result in a negative-feedback effect on the growth of the parasitic plant. To test this, we conducted a container experiment, where each container housed two in-growth cores that isolated the root system of a single Trifolium pratense seedling. The formation of CMNs was either prevented or permitted using nylon fabric with a mesh width of 0.5 or 25 μm, respectively. In each container, either both T. pratense plants were not parasitized or only one was parasitized by the holoparasite Cuscuta australis. To quantify the nutrient distribution by CMNs to the host and neighboring plants, we used 15 N labeling. Growth and 15 N concentrations of C. australis and T. pratense were measured, as well the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-colonization rates of T. pratense. We found that parasitism by C. australis reduced the biomass of T. pratense. In the absence of the parasite, CMNs increased the 15 N concentration of both T. pratense plants, but did not affect their biomass. However, with the parasite, the difference between host and neighboring T. pratense plants in 15 N concentration and biomass were amplified by CMNs. Furthermore, CMNs decreased the negative effect of C. australis on growth of the host T. pratense plants. Finally, although CMNs did not influence the 15 N concentration of C. australis, they reduced its biomass. Our results indicate that when T. pratense was parasitized by C. australis, CMNs preferentially distributed more mineral nutrients to the nonparasitized neighboring T. pratense plant, and that this had a negative feedback on the growth of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongge Yuan
- School of Advanced Study, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- School of Advanced Study, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
| | - Junmin Li
- School of Advanced Study, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
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14
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Cirocco RM, Watling JR, Facelli JM. The combined effects of water and nitrogen on the relationship between a native hemiparasite and its invasive host. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:1728-1739. [PMID: 32965029 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16944] [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: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Stem hemiparasites are dependent on their hosts for water and nitrogen. Most studies, however, have assessed the influence of one factor on parasite : host associations, thus limiting our mechanistic understanding of their performance in nature. We investigated the combined effects of water and nitrogen (N) availability on both a host (Ulex europaeus) and its parasite (Cassytha pubescens). Parasite infection significantly decreased host shoot biomass and shoot : root ratio more severely in high water than low water, irrespective of N supply. Parasite stem [N] was significantly higher in high water than low water treatments, regardless of N supply, but parasite biomass did not vary among treatments. Irrespective of water and N supply, infected plants had significantly lower total, root and nodule biomass, predawn and midday quantum yields, maximum electron transport rates, water potentials and nitrogen concentration [N]. Parasite δ13 C was significantly higher than that of the host. Our results suggested that stem hemiparasites can better extract resources from hosts when water availability is high, resulting in a greater impact on the host under these conditions. When hemiparasitic plants are being investigated as a biocontrol for invasive weeds, they may be more effective in wetter habitats than in drier ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Cirocco
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Watling
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M15 6BH, UK
| | - José M Facelli
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
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15
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Granados‐Hernández LA, Pisanty I, Raventós J, Márquez‐Guzmán J, Mandujano MC. Better alone? A demographic case study of the hemiparasite
Castilleja tenuiflora
(Orobanchaceae): A first approximation. POPUL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa A. Granados‐Hernández
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City Mexico
| | - Irene Pisanty
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City Mexico
| | - José Raventós
- Departamento de Ecología Universidad de Alicante Alicante Spain
| | - Judith Márquez‐Guzmán
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City Mexico
| | - María C. Mandujano
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City Mexico
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Krasylenko Y, Těšitel J, Ceccantini G, Oliveira-da-Silva M, Dvořák V, Steele D, Sosnovsky Y, Piwowarczyk R, Watson DM, Teixeira-Costa L. Parasites on parasites: hyper-, epi-, and autoparasitism among flowering plants. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:8-21. [PMID: 33403666 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
All organisms engage in parasitic relations, as either parasites or hosts. Some species may even play both roles simultaneously. Among flowering plants, the most widespread form of parasitism is characterized by the development of an intrusive organ called the haustorium, which absorbs water and nutrients from the host. Despite this functionally unifying feature of parasitic plants, haustoria are not homologous structures; they have evolved 12 times independently. These plants represent ca. 1% of all extant flowering species and show a wide diversity of life histories. A great variety of plants may also serve as hosts, including other parasitic plants. This phenomenon of parasitic exploitation of another parasite, broadly known as hyper- or epiparasitism, is well described among bacteria, fungi, and animals, but remains poorly understood among plants. Here, we review empirical evidence of plant hyperparasitism, including variations of self-parasitism, discuss the diversity and ecological importance of these interactions, and suggest possible evolutionary mechanisms. Hyperparasitism may provide benefits in terms of improved nutrition and enhanced host-parasite compatibility if partners are related. Different forms of self-parasitism may facilitate nutrient sharing among and within parasitic plant individuals, while also offering potential for the evolution of hyperparasitism. Cases of hyperparasitic interactions between parasitic plants may affect the ecology of individual species and modulate their ecosystem impacts. Parasitic plant phenology and disperser feeding behavior are considered to play a major role in the occurrence of hyperparasitism, especially among mistletoes. There is also potential for hyperparasites to act as biological control agents of invasive primary parasitic host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya Krasylenko
- Department of Cell Biology, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů, 27, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Těšitel
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Gregorio Ceccantini
- Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Mariana Oliveira-da-Silva
- Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Václav Dvořák
- Botanical Garden, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Steele
- Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616
| | - Yevhen Sosnovsky
- Botanical Garden, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 44 Cheremshyna Str., 79014, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Renata Piwowarczyk
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Uniwersytecka 7, 25-406, Kielce, Poland
| | - David M Watson
- Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, 2640, Australia
| | - Luiza Teixeira-Costa
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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17
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Coming undone: hemiparasite presence and effects in a prairie grassland diminish over time. Oecologia 2019; 190:679-688. [PMID: 31250186 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04443-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Root hemiparasites acquire resources from neighboring plants' vascular systems and can limit host growth, depress community productivity, and exert keystone effects. The strength of these effects is posited to be greater where hosts are nutrient-stressed but studies of annual hemiparasites show effects to be short-lived and variable. We conducted a 10-year experiment testing whether fertilizer addition alters the impact of the clonal, perennial hemiparasite Pedicularis canadensis on a prairie community and examine whether short-term trends reflect longer-term effects on community dynamics. Hemiparasite removal in 1-m2 plots increased productivity over the first three field seasons, but later the difference between removal and non-removal plots diminished as P. canadensis disappeared from 24 of the 48 non-removal plots. Effects of hemiparasite removal were context independent relative to fertilizer and shade treatments, but fertilizer initially increased, and then subsequently suppressed P. canadensis biomass. In non-removal plots, hemiparasite biomass was negatively associated with total community dry mass, which was greater in fertilized plots. Initially, fertilizer promoted graminoids, but after seven more field seasons, non-legume forbs responded most strongly. Measures of biodiversity tended to increase with hemiparasite cover. Demographic data collected at two different times for P. canadensis show high survivorship of established plants, high seed input, with seedling survival greater in taller vegetation. Unlike annual hemiparasite populations, well-established P. canadensis buffer populations against large demographic swings. At the scale of a few square meters, this keystone species produces significant heterogeneity in a prairie, but its presence at that scale is transient over approximately one decade.
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Mellado A, Hobby A, Lázaro-González A, Watson DM. Hemiparasites drive heterogeneity in litter arthropods: Implications for woodland insectivorous birds. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Mellado
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group; Department of Ecology; University of Granada; Granada Spain
| | - Annie Hobby
- Institute for Land, Water and Society; Charles Sturt University; PO Box 789 Albury Wodonga 2640 New South Wales Australia
| | - Alba Lázaro-González
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group; Department of Ecology; University of Granada; Granada Spain
| | - David M. Watson
- Institute for Land, Water and Society; Charles Sturt University; PO Box 789 Albury Wodonga 2640 New South Wales Australia
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Lázaro‐González A, Hódar JA, Zamora R. Mistletoe generates non‐trophic and trait‐mediated indirect interactions through a shared host of herbivore consumers. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Lázaro‐González
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group Department of Ecology Faculty of Science University of Granada Av. Fuentenueva s/n Granada E‐18071 Spain
| | - José A. Hódar
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group Department of Ecology Faculty of Science University of Granada Av. Fuentenueva s/n Granada E‐18071 Spain
| | - Regino Zamora
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group Department of Ecology Faculty of Science University of Granada Av. Fuentenueva s/n Granada E‐18071 Spain
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20
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Mistletoe Versus Host Pine: Does Increased Parasite Load Alter the Host Chemical Profile? J Chem Ecol 2018; 45:95-105. [PMID: 30523519 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-1039-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Stress caused by parasitic plants, e.g. mistletoes, alters certain host-plant traits as a response. While several physical implications of the parasite-host relation have been well studied, shifts in the host chemical profile remain poorly understood. Here we compare the chemical profiles of mistletoe (Viscum album subsp. austriacum) leaves and host pine (Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii) needles and we investigate chemical changes in host needles of trees with different parasite loads (control, low, medium, and high). Our results reveal that despite the intimate contact between mistletoe and host pine, their chemical profiles differed significantly, revealing extremely low concentrations of defense compounds (including a complete lack of terpenes) and high levels of N concentrations in mistletoe leaves. On the other hand, parasitized pines showed unique chemical responses depending on parasite loads. Overall, the content in monoterpenes increased with parasitism. Higher parasitized pines produced higher amounts of defense compounds (phenols and condensed tannins) than less parasitized trees, but amounts in samples of the same year did not significantly differ between parasitized and unparasitized pines. Highly parasitized pines accumulated less N than pines with other parasite loads. The strongest response was found in sesqui- and diterpenes, which were at lower levels in pines under medium and high parasitism. Chemical responses of pines to mistletoe parasitism resembled reactions to other kinds of stress. Low levels induced reactions resembling those against drought stress, while medium and high parasitism elicited responses comparable to those against burning and defoliation.
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21
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Cirocco RM, Facelli JM, Watling JR. A native parasitic plant affects the performance of an introduced host regardless of environmental variation across field sites. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2018; 45:1128-1137. [PMID: 32290974 DOI: 10.1071/fp17358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence from glasshouse studies shows that native hemiparasitic plants can significantly impact the performance and growth of introduced host plants. We investigated the effect of the native Australian hemiparasite Cassytha pubescens R.Br. on the introduced shrub Ulex europaeus L. at three field sites in South Australia. Parasite infection significantly decreased midday PSII efficiency (ΦPSII) and the maximum electron transport rates (ETRmax) of U. europaeus across sites. The impact of C. pubescens on the photosynthetic performance of U. europaeus may have been caused by infected plants having significantly lower N and K, but higher Fe and Al than uninfected plants at all sites. Significant Al and Fe enrichment in infected plants may be possibly due to the parasite indirectly inducing rhizosphere acidification. At two sites, C. pubescens significantly affected host Fv/Fm, indicating chronic photoinhibition in response to infection. The impact of infection on Fv/Fm was greatest at the wettest site, in line with an experiment where C. pubescens had more impact under high water availability. At this site, infected plants also had the highest foliar Fe and Al. The C isotope (δ13C) of infected plants was significantly lower than that of uninfected plants at only one site. Unusually, the δ13C of the parasite was the same as or significantly higher than that of the hosts. There were no site effects on parasite Fv/Fm or ΦPSII; however, ETRmax and δ13C varied across sites. The results suggest that this native parasite has negative effects on U. europaeus in the field, as was found for glasshouse studies. The abundance of this introduced weed in Australia could be negatively affected by C. pubescens infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Cirocco
- Benham Building DP 312, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - José M Facelli
- Benham Building DP 312, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Watling
- Benham Building DP 312, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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22
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Zhang G, Li Q, Sun S. Diversity and distribution of parasitic angiosperms in China. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4378-4386. [PMID: 29760880 PMCID: PMC5938475 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic plants are an important component of vegetation worldwide, but their diversity and distribution in China have not been systematically reported. This study aimed to (1) explore floral characteristics of China's parasitic plants, (2) map spatial distribution of diversity of these species, and (3) explore factors influencing the distribution pattern. We compiled a nationwide species list of parasitic plants in China, and for each species, we recorded its phylogeny, endemism, and life form (e.g., herb vs. shrub; hemiparasite vs. holoparasite). Species richness and area-corrected species richness were calculated for 28 provinces, covering 98.89% of China's terrestrial area. Regression analyses were performed to determine relationships between provincial area-corrected species richness of parasitic plants and provincial total species richness (including nonparasitic plants) and physical settings (altitude, midlongitude, and midlatitude). A total of 678 species of parasitic angiosperms are recorded in China, 63.13% of which are endemic. Of the total, 59.73% (405 species) are perennials, followed by shrubs/subshrubs (14.75%) and vines (1.47%). About 76.11% (516 species) are of root hemiparasites, higher than that of stem parasites (100, 14.75%), root holoparasites (9.00%), and endophytic parasites (0.15%). A significant positive relationship is found between the area-corrected species richness and the total species richness, which has been previously demonstrated to increase with decreasing longitude and latitude. Moreover, more parasitic species are found in the southwest high-altitude areas than low areas. Consistently, the area-corrected species richness increases with increasing altitude, decreasing latitude, and decreasing longitude, as indicated by regression analyses. China is rich in parasitic flora with a high proportion of endemic species. Perennials and root hemiparasites are the dominant types. The spatial distribution of parasitic plants is largely heterogeneous, with more species living in southwest China, similar to the distribution pattern of Chinese angiosperms. The positive relationship between parasitic and nonparasitic plant species richness should be addressed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangfu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and BiotechnologySchool of Life SciencesNanjing Normal UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Qian Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and BiotechnologySchool of Life SciencesNanjing Normal UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Shucun Sun
- College of Life SciencesNanjing UniversityNanjingChina
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Haan NL, Bakker JD, Bowers MD. Hemiparasites can transmit indirect effects from their host plants to herbivores. Ecology 2017; 99:399-410. [PMID: 29131311 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic plants can serve as critical intermediaries between their hosts and other organisms; however these relationships are not well understood. To investigate the relative importance of plant traits in such interactions, we studied the role of the root hemiparasite, Castilleja levisecta (Orobanchaceae), as a mediator of interactions between the host plants it parasitizes and the lepidopteran herbivore Euphydryas editha (Nymphalidae), whose caterpillars feed on Castilleja and sequester iridoid glycosides from it. We tested whether the hemiparasite's size, leaf N concentration, and iridoid glycoside concentrations were influenced by the identity of its host plant, and then whether these traits influenced outcomes for the herbivore. We found that the hemiparasite's size and leaf N depended on the host it parasitized, and these traits in turn affected outcomes for E. editha. Specifically, Euphydryas editha survival increased with hemiparasite size and caterpillar mass increased with leaf N; caterpillars with greater mass were more likely to survive during diapause. We also found preliminary evidence that host identity influenced iridoid glycoside sequestration by the herbivore. Mean iridoid glycoside concentrations in caterpillars ranged from 1-12% depending on the host being parasitized by Castilleja. This study demonstrates that root parasitism can result in strong indirect effects on higher trophic levels, influencing organisms' survival, growth, and chemical interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan L Haan
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 354115, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA
| | - Jonathan D Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 354115, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA
| | - M Deane Bowers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 334, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
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24
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Liu Y, Taxipulati T, Gong Y, Sui X, Wang X, Parent SÉ, Hu Y, Guan K, Li A. N-P Fertilization Inhibits Growth of Root Hemiparasite Pedicularis kansuensis in Natural Grassland. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:2088. [PMID: 29276523 PMCID: PMC5728089 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.02088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization has been shown to affect interactions between root hemiparasitic plants and their host plants, alleviating damage to the hosts by parasitism. However, as a majority of studies were conducted in pot cultivation, the influence of fertilizer application on root hemiparasites and the surrounding plant community in field conditions as well as relevant mechanisms remain unclear. We manipulated soil nutrient resources in a semi-arid subalpine grassland in the Tianshan Mountains, northwestern China, to explore the links between fertilization and plant community composition, productivity, survival, and growth of a weedy root hemiparasite (Pedicularis kansuensis). Nitrogen (at a low rate, LN, 30 kg N ha-1 year-1 as urea; or at a high rate, HN, 90 kg N ha-1 year-1 as urea) and phosphorus [100 kg ha-1 year-1 as Ca(H2PO4)2⋅H2O] were added during two growing seasons. Patterns of foliar nutrient balances were described with isometric log ratios for the different plant functional groups receiving these fertilization regimes. Fertilization with LN, HN, and P reduced above-ground biomass of P. kansuensis, with above-ground biomass in the fertilization treatments, respectively, 12, 1, and 39% of the value found in the unfertilized control. Up to three times more above-ground biomass was produced in graminoids receiving fertilizers, whereas forb above-ground biomass was virtually unchanged by the fertilization regimes and forb species richness was reduced by 52% in the HN treatment. Fertilization altered foliar nutrient balances, and distinct patterns emerged for each plant functional group. Foliar [C | P,N] balance in the plant community was negatively correlated with above-ground biomass (P = 0.03). The inhibited competitiveness of P. kansuensis, which showed a much higher [C | P,N] balance, could be attributed to reduced C assimilation rather than mineral nutrient acquisition, as shown by significant increase in foliar N and P concentrations but little increase in C concentration following fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, China
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Teyibai Taxipulati
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Yanming Gong
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, China
| | - Xiaolin Sui
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Xuezhao Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, China
| | - Serge-Étienne Parent
- Department of Soils and Agri-Food Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yukun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, China
| | - Kaiyun Guan
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, China
| | - Airong Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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Gypsy moth herbivory induced volatiles and reduced parasite attachment to cranberry hosts. Oecologia 2017; 185:133-145. [PMID: 28803341 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3915-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between species can have cascading effects that shape subsequent interactions. For example, herbivory can induce plant defenses that affect subsequent interactions with herbivores, pathogens, mycorrhizae, and pollinators. Parasitic plants are present in most ecosystems, and play important roles in structuring communities. However, the effects of host herbivory on parasitic plants, and the potential mechanisms underlying such effects, are not well known. We conducted a greenhouse study to ask whether gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) damage, host cultivar, and their interaction affected preference of the stem parasite dodder (Cuscuta spp.) on cranberry hosts (Vaccinium macrocarpum). We then assessed the mechanisms that could underlie such effects by measuring induced changes in phytohormones and secondary compounds. We found that damage by gypsy moths delayed dodder attachment by approximately 0.3 days when dodder stems were added 2 days after damage, and reduced attachment by more than 50% when dodder stems were added 1 week after host plant damage. Gypsy moth damage significantly increased jasmonic acid (JA) levels, total volatile emissions, and the flavonol, quercetin aglycone, suggesting possible mechanisms underlying variation in dodder ability to locate or attach to hosts. Dodder preference also differed between cranberry cultivars, with the highest attachment on the cultivar that had significantly lower levels of total volatile emissions and total phenolic acids, suggesting that volatile composition and phenolics may mediate dodder preference. Our results indicate that herbivory can reduce subsequent attachment by a highly damaging parasitic plant, demonstrating the potential importance of early damage for shaping subsequent species interactions.
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Fry EL, Pilgrim ES, Tallowin JR, Smith RS, Mortimer SR, Beaumont DA, Simkin J, Harris SJ, Shiel RS, Quirk H, Harrison KA, Lawson CS, Hobbs PJ, Bardgett RD. Plant, soil and microbial controls on grassland diversity restoration: a long-term, multi-site mesocosm experiment. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen L. Fry
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; The University of Manchester; Manchester M13 9PT UK
| | - Emma S. Pilgrim
- Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute; University of Exeter; Exeter EX4 4PJ UK
| | - Jerry R.B. Tallowin
- Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department; Rothamsted Research; North Wyke Okehampton Devon EX20 2SB UK
| | - Roger S. Smith
- School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development; University of Newcastle; Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | - Simon R. Mortimer
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research; The University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - Deborah A. Beaumont
- Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department; Rothamsted Research; North Wyke Okehampton Devon EX20 2SB UK
| | - Janet Simkin
- School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development; University of Newcastle; Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | - Stephanie J. Harris
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research; The University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - Robert S. Shiel
- School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development; University of Newcastle; Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | - Helen Quirk
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Kate A. Harrison
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ UK
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Clare S. Lawson
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences; The Open University; Milton Keynes MK7 6AA UK
| | - Phil J. Hobbs
- Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department; Rothamsted Research; North Wyke Okehampton Devon EX20 2SB UK
| | - Richard D. Bardgett
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; The University of Manchester; Manchester M13 9PT UK
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27
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Parasite Removal, but Not Herbivory, Deters Future Parasite Attachment on Tomato. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161076. [PMID: 27529694 PMCID: PMC4986975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants face many antagonistic interactions that occur sequentially. Often, plants employ defense strategies in response to the initial damage that are highly specific and can affect interactions with subsequent antagonists. In addition to herbivores and pathogens, plants face attacks by parasitic plants, but we know little about how prior herbivory compared to prior parasite attachment affects subsequent host interactions. If host plants can respond adaptively to these different damage types, we predict that prior parasitism would have a greater deterrent effect on subsequent parasites than would prior herbivory. To test the effects of prior parasitism and prior herbivory on subsequent parasitic dodder (Cuscuta spp.) preference, we conducted two separate greenhouse studies with tomato hosts (Solanum lycopersicum). In the first experiment, we tested the effects of previous dodder attachment on subsequent dodder preference on tomato hosts using three treatments: control plants that had no previous dodder attachment; dodder-removed plants that had an initial dodder seedling attached, removed and left in the same pot to simulate parasite death; and dodder-continuous plants with an initial dodder seedling that remained attached. In the second experiment, we tested the effects of previous caterpillar damage (Spodoptera exigua) and mechanical damage on future dodder attachment on tomato hosts. Dodder attached most slowly to tomato hosts that had dodder plants previously attached and then removed, compared to control plants or plants with continuous dodder attachment. In contrast, herbivory did not affect subsequent dodder attachment rate. These results indicate that dodder preference depended on the identity and the outcome of the initial attack, suggesting that early-season interactions have the potential for profound impacts on subsequent community dynamics.
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Dunwiddie PW, Martin RA. Microsites Matter: Improving the Success of Rare Species Reintroductions. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150417. [PMID: 26930510 PMCID: PMC4773064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Our study was undertaken to better understand how to increase the success rates of recovery plantings of a rare hemiparasite, golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta—Orobanchaceae). This species is endemic to western Washington and Oregon, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Over 5000 golden paintbrush plants were outplanted as plugs in 2007 at six different native prairie sites that were considered to be suitable habitat, based on general evaluations of vegetation and soil conditions. Outplantings were installed at regular intervals along transects up to 1 km long to include a range of conditions occurring at each site. All plantings were re-examined five years later. The patchy distribution of surviving plugs and new recruits within each reintroduction site suggested success is strongly influenced by microsite characteristics. Indicator species analysis of taxa growing in microsites around outplanted golden paintbrush identified species that were positively or negatively associated with paintbrush survival. Species such as Festuca roemeri, Eriophyllum lanatum, and Viola adunca were strong indicators at some sites; non-natives such as Hypochaeris radicata and Teesdalia nudicaulis tended to be frequent negative indicators. Overall, higher richness of native perennial forbs was strongly correlated with both survival and flowering of golden paintbrush, a pattern that may reflect interactions of this hemiparasite with the immediately surrounding plant community. Topographic position also influenced outcomes, with greater survival occurring on mounds and in swales, where soils generally were deeper. Our findings suggest that assessments of site suitability based on vegetation alone, and coarser, site-level assessments that do not characterize heterogeneity at the microsite scale, may not be strong predictors of restoration success over the longer term and in sites with variability in vegetation and soils. By identifying suitable microsites to focus rare species plantings, survival and efficiency may be significantly enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W. Dunwiddie
- Center for Natural Lands Management, Olympia, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - R. Adam Martin
- Center for Natural Lands Management, Olympia, Washington, United States of America
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