Impact of hemiparasitic Rhinanthus angustifolius and R. minor on nitrogen availability in grasslands

Root hemiparasites like Rhinanthus angustifolius C.C. Gmel and R. minor L. have a potential to accelerate the restoration of semi-natural grasslands because they may decrease above-ground biomass of the vegetation. This, in turn, may be beneficial for species diversity. It is known that hemiparasites often accumulate high nutrient concentrations in their above-ground parts, resulting in high quality litter. Because of the short life cycle of many parasitic plants, litter is released early in the season and the main part is not removed from the grassland by hay-making. This has been shown to yield an increased nutrient availability locally. We performed an introduction experiment with R. angustifolius and R. minor in three semi-natural grasslands in Flanders (Belgium). In the second year after sowing, the above-ground nitrogen (N) content of the grasses and of the potential host vegetation (excluding the hemiparasite), was increased in the parasitized plots. The reduction of grass (and legume) above-ground biomass in parasitized plots resulted in a decrease in the total above-ground N uptake of grasses, host and total vegetation (ex- and including the parasite, respectively) of the parasitized plots compared to the control. Furthermore, with a tracer experiment (¹⁵N), we demonstrated that the N from the added tracer was relatively less available in parasitized plots, suggesting larger soil N pools in these treatments. This is probably the consequence of increased mineralization, resulting from the high-quality, parasitic litter. Further experiments should be conducted to investigate the impact of hemiparasitic Rhinanthus spp., e.g. on the availability of other nutrients such as phosphorus.     

Nutrient input from hemiparasitic litter favors plant species with a fast-growth strategy

Aims

Hemiparasitic plants often produce nutrient-rich litter with high decomposition rates, and thus can enhance nutrient availability. When plant species have differential affinities for this nutrient source, hemiparasitic litter might influence species composition in addition to the parasitic suppression of host species. We expected that species adapted to fertile habitats derive a higher proportion of nutrients from the hemiparasitic litter compared to other species.

Methods

¹⁵N-labeled litter of Rhinanthus angustifolius and Pedicularis sylvatica was added to experimental field plots and adjacent litter bags. We examined N release from the litter, N uptake by the vegetation 2, 4 and 12 months after litter addition and differences in the proportion of N taken up from the litter (N_L) between co-occurring species.

Results

The percentage of N in shoots of co-occurring plant species that is derived from the added hemiparasitic litter (N_L) strongly differed between the species (0.1–6.2 %). After exclusion of species with an alternative N source (legumes as well as ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal species), N_L was positively related (p?<?0.001) with specific leaf area (SLA) and at Pedicularis sites with leaf N concentration (LNC) and leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC) (p?<?0.05), i.e. leaf traits associated with a fast-growth strategy and adaptation to high-nutrient environments.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that nutrient release from hemiparasitic litter favors plant species with a fast-growth strategy adapted to high-nutrient environments compared to species with a slow-growth strategy. Whether continued hemiparasitic litter inputs are able to change species composition in the long term requires further research.     

土壤氮素异质性分布和马先蒿寄生对长芒棒头草生长发育及根系分布的影响

无论在农田还是自然生态系统中,土壤养分异质性普遍存在。植物具有感知土壤养分异质性的能力,并通过调节根系生物量分配及空间分布以获取更多资源。了解寄生胁迫在不同养分条件下对寄主生长发育及根系空间分布的影响,对解析寄主应对寄生胁迫和养分胁迫的适应策略,进而指导寄生性杂草防控具有重要的指导意义。该文采用分根试验,通过对寄主分根,并控制根室两侧氮供应水平及寄生胁迫程度,考察了氮胁迫及两种寄主依赖程度不同的马先蒿的寄生对寄主长芒棒头草生长发育及根系空间分布的影响。结果表明:(1)土壤氮水平与马先蒿寄生均可显著影响长芒棒头草生物量及根冠比,并且两者之间存在显著交互作用,其中土壤氮水平为主要影响因子。(2)两种马先蒿对长芒棒头草的危害程度不同。在NPK和2NPK处理时,三色马先蒿的寄生显著降低长芒棒头草生物量(茎叶:37. 1%、51. 5%;根系:35. 6%、63.6%);在NPK处理时,大王马先蒿的寄生显著增加长芒棒头草生物量(茎叶:29.9%,根系:61.2%)。(3)长芒棒头草的根系生长和空间分布受氮营养的异质分布和寄生的影响,具有明显的感知养分空间分布及调节根系生长能力。     

Modification of competition between two grass species by a hemiparasitic plant and simulated grazing

Plant parasitism and herbivory are common phenomena in natural grasslands, where they may significantly affect competition between plant species. However, only few studies have simultaneously examined these two processes. We investigated whether the root hemiparasite Odontites litoralis ssp. litoralis affects the outcome of competition between two clonal graminoids, the endangered Puccinellia phryganodes and the common species Agrostis stolonifera, and whether simulated grazing affects the interaction among these three species. This study system simulates the community of early successional stages of the Bothnian Bay salt marsh meadows, which are intensively grazed by greylag geese (Anser anser). We conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment to study the effects of interspecific competition (one or two host species present), hemiparasitic infection (hemiparasite present or not), and simulated grazing (host clipped or not) on Puccinellia and Agrostis. Puccinellia was clearly an inferior competitor to Agrostis, whereas the two species did not differ as hosts for the hemiparasite. Infection by the hemiparasite reduced the aboveground biomass of Puccinellia and Agrostis by 59% and 45%, respectively. Competition with Agrostis decreased the biomass of parasitised Puccinellia by 36% and that of non-parasitised Puccinellia by 56%. Parasitism thus seemed to benefit Puccinellia indirectly by decreasing the relative competitive advantage of Agrostis. Moreover, parasitism increased the relative contribution of Puccinellia to the total aboveground host plant biomass. Simulated grazing decreased the aboveground biomass of Agrostis significantly more than that of Puccinellia and thus increased the competitive ability of Puccinellia. Simulated grazing of the two host species did not affect the performance of Odontites. These results suggest that both hemiparasitic plants and herbivory may play a significant role in the maintenance of plant species diversity by promoting competitively inferior species.     

Nutrient requirements differ in two Pedicularis species in the absence of a host plant: implication for driving forces in the evolution of host preference of root hemiparasitic plants

Background and Aims

Facultative root hemiparasitic plants generally have a wide host range, but in most cases show an obvious host preference. The reasons for the marked difference in growth performance of hemiparasites when attached to different hosts are not fully understood. In this study, the hypothesis was tested that hemiparasites showing a preference for different hosts have different nutrient requirements.

Methods

Two facultative root hemiparasitic Pedicularis species (P. rex and P. tricolor) with a different host dependency and preference were used to test their responses to inorganic solutes. The effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on growth of the hemiparasitic plants not attached to a host were determined, using an orthogonal design in pot cultivation under greenhouse conditions. Variables including biomass, shoot nutrient concentration, root:shoot (R:S) ratios and the number of haustoria were measured.

Key Results

As in autotrophic plants, nutrient deficiency reduced dry weight (DW) and nutrient concentrations in the root hemiparasites. Nitrogen and phosphorus significantly influenced growth of both Pedicularis species, while potassium availability influenced only shoot DW of P. rex. Nitrogen had far more effect on growth of P. rex than on P. tricolor, while phosphorus deficiency caused more marked growth depression in P. tricolor than in P. rex. Pedicularis rex grew faster than P. tricolor in a range of nutrient supplies. Different patterns of biomass allocation between the two Pedicularis species were observed. While P. rex invested more into roots (particularly fine rootlets) than P. tricolor, the number of haustoria produced by P. rex was relatively much lower than that produced by P. tricolor, which had a much smaller root system.

Conclusions

The two Pedicularis species differ in nutrient requirements and biomass allocation. Distinct interspecific traits in growth and nutrient requirements can be driving forces for the differential interactions between hemiparasites and their hosts.     

Opposite effects of litter and hemiparasites on a dominant grass under different water regimes and competition levels

Direct and indirect biotic interactions may affect plant growth and development, but the magnitude of these effects may vary depending on environmental conditions. In grassland ecosystems, competition is a strong structuring force. Nonetheless, if hemiparasitic plant species are introduced the competition intensity caused by the dominant species may be affected. However, the outcome of these interactions may change between wet or dry periods. In order to study this, we performed a pot experiment with different densities of the dominant species Schedonorus arundinaceus (1, 2 or 4 individuals) under constantly moist or intermittently dry conditions. The different Schenodorus densities were crossed with presence or absence of hemiparasites (either Rhinanthus minor or R. alectorolophus). Additionally, pots remained with bare ground or received a grass litter layer (400 g m^?2). We expected that indirect litter effects on vegetation (here Schedonorus or Rhinanthus) vary depending on soil moisture. We measured Schedonorus and Rhinanthus aboveground biomass and C stable isotope signature (δ¹³C) as response variables. Overall, Schedonorus attained similar biomass under moist conditions with Rhinanthus as in pots under dry conditions without Rhinanthus. Presence of Rhinanthus also increased δ¹³C in moist pots, indicating hemiparasite-induced water stress. Litter presence increased Schedonorus biomass and reduced δ¹³C, indicating improved water availability. Plants under dry conditions with litter showed similar biomass as under wet conditions without litter. Hemiparasites and litter had opposite effects: hemiparasites reduced Schedonorus biomass while litter presence facilitated grass growth. Contrary to our expectations, litter did not compensate Schedonorus biomass when Rhinanthus was present.     

The role of hemiparasitic plants: influencing tallgrass prairie quality,diversity, and structure

Wood betony, Orobanchaceae (Pedicularis canadensis) and bastard toadflax, Santalaceae (Comandra umbellata) are two root‐hemiparasitic plant species found in tallgrass prairie communities. Natural resource managers are interested in utilizing these species as “pseudograzers” in grasslands to reduce competitively dominant grasses and thereby increase ecological diversity and quality in prairie restorations and urban plantings. We performed an observational field study at 5 tallgrass prairie sites to investigate the association of hemiparasite abundance with metrics of phylogenetic and ecological diversity, as well as floristic quality. Although no reduction in C₄ grasses was detected, there was a significant association between hemiparasite abundance and increased floristic quality at all 5 sites. Hemiparasite abundance and species richness were positively correlated at one restoration site. In a greenhouse mesocosm experiment, we investigated response to parasitism by P. canadensis in 6 species representing different plant functional groups of the tallgrass prairie. The annual legume partridge pea, Fabaceae (Chamaecrista fasciculata) had the greatest significant dry biomass reduction among 6 host species, but the C₄ grass big bluestem, Poaceae (Andropogon gerardii) had significantly greater aboveground biomass when grown with the hemiparasite. Overall, host species biomass as a total community was significantly reduced in mesocosms, consistent with other investigations that demonstrate influence on community structure by hemiparasitic plant species. Although hemiparasites were not acting as pseudograzers, they have the potential to influence community structure in grassland restorations and remnants.     

Effects of drought and N level on the interactions of the root hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus with a combination of three host species

• Increasing nitrogen deposition and more frequent drought events are likely to change plant interactions in natural grasslands. Both factors may also influence the interactions between hemiparasitic plants, regarded as keystone species in many grasslands, and their host species.
• We grew a combination of three suitable hosts, a grass, a forb and a legume, with and without the hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus at three levels of nitrogen (N) and two levels of water availability in a factorial design.
• Biomass of the hemiparasite and host community increased with N level and was reduced by drought to a similar degree. Larger plants in fertilised pots started to wilt earlier, and the presence of a hemiparasite further increased drought sensitivity. The hemiparasite strongly reduced biomass of the host community and overall productivity, and affected the competitive balance among host plants because it particularly reduced biomass of the dominant grass. These effects were the opposite of those of high N. The hemiparasite increased the root mass fraction of the hosts at all levels of N and water availability, indicating that the effect of the hemiparasite on the hosts was mainly due to loss of belowground resources.
• Our results indicate that hemiparasites will not always respond more strongly to increased N availability and drought than autotrophic plants, and that hemiparasites can have similarly strong effects on grassland communities as soil fertility and drought. By preferentially attacking dominant species the hemiparasites might alleviate the negative effects of nutrient enrichment on grassland diversity.

     

How can we protect rare hemiparasitic plants? Early-flowering taxa ofEuphrasia andRhinanthus on the Baltic island of Gotland

Euphrasia stricta var.suecica, E. stricta var.tenuis, andRhinanthus serotinus subsp.vernalis are three endangered, hemiparasitic annual herbs found in traditionally managed hay meadows on Gotland, Sweden. We have studied — experimentally and in the field — how some features in the present and traditional management cycle affect their fitness. We set up permanent 50 × 50-cm plots in a coastal hay meadow where bothE. stricta var.suecica andRhinanthus are still quite common. The survival, growth and fecundity of cohorts ofEuphrasia andRhinanthus were followed throughout the growing season for three years. The length of the growing season was vital forEuphrasia andRhinanthus performance. In cooler summers, the percentage ofEuphrasia individuals that produced mature seeds was decreased by 20% at the time of mowing. This indicates the need to individually adjust the time of mowing, as was formerly done, to the actual phenological development in order to maintain healthy populations. It is also important to consider the effect of time of mowing on total species richness, asEuphrasia more successfully established in 10 × 10-cm squares with high species richness. Also, the time in spring when hemiparasite growth started was crucial. Cohorts of bothEuphrasia stricta var.suecica andRhinanthus that connected to hosts and started growing early in the season had a strong advantage over later cohorts by having fitness values four to eight times higher. From this we conclude that the traditional practice of spring raking is important for the long-term persistence of these hemiparasites, since raking promotes an earlier onset of both host and hemiparasite growth. Another important issue is the traditional, but nowadays often neglected practice of letting the hay dry in the meadow after mowing. Hay that was left to dry in the meadow contributed significantly moreRhinanthus seed to the meadow than hay that was taken away immediately after mowing. We also found that seedling emergence and subsequent growth ofEuphrasia stricta var.suecica was greatly enhanced by a second hay cut in September. A second cutting mimics some of the positive effects of the traditional practice of aftermath grazing, which is nowadays often abandoned.     

Effects of climate change on parasitic plants: the root hemiparasiticOrobanchaceae

Climate change may affect hemisparasiticOrobanchaceae (ex-Scrophulariaceae) both directly through impacts on hemiparasite physiology and indirectly through impacts on host plants. This dual action suggests particular sensitivity of the parasite to climate change and any associated impacts on hosts and other members of the community. While little research has addressed the responses of parasitic plants to climate change in natural environments, impacts are predicted from controlled environment studies together with a knowledge of the key ecophysiological traits of hemiparasiticOrobanchaceae, in particular ofStriga species, which are important weeds in semi-arid tropical agro-ecosystems, andRhinanthus species, which can be important components of (principally) grassland communities in the northern temperate zone. The main mode of important components of (principally) grassland communities in the northern temperate zone. The main mode of action of both elevated CO₂ and warming will be through changes in photosynthesis and stomatal functioning. Enhanced photosynthesis of the hemiparasite and host will increase parasite carbon gains but may also increase the demand for host mineral nutrients. Mineral nutrition may, therefore, mediate the impacts of climate change on host-parasite associations. The relative insensitivity of hemiparasite stomata to elevated CO₂ suggests that high stomatal conductances may be maintained and thus solute uptake may become limited by soil drying driven by higher rates of evapotranspiration and reduced precipitation. Climate change impacts on host-parasite interactions at the individual level will ultimately affect hemiparasite impacts at the community level. Community impacts will be greatest where climate change considerably favours hemiparasite populations or, conversely, causes them to disappear from communities where they were formerly abundant. Impacts will further be mediated by climate impacts on hosts, and the natural enemies of hosts and parasites alike. Further, the wide host range of many root hemiparasitic plants may facilitate migration of their populations through new communities under a changing climate.     

The effect of host mycorrhizal status on host plant–parasitic plant interactions

Two pot experiments were conducted to examine three-level interactions between host plants, mycorrhizal fungi and parasitic plants. In a greenhouse experiment, Poa annua plants were grown in the presence or absence of an AM fungus (either Glomus lamellosum V43a or G. mosseae BEG29) and in the presence or absence of a root hemiparasitic plant (Odontites vulgaris). In a laboratory experiment, mycorrhizal infection (Glomus claroideum BEG31) of Trifolium pratense host plants (mycorrhizal versus non-mycorrhizal) was combined with hemiparasite infection (Rhinanthus serotinus) of the host (parasitized versus non-parasitized). Infection with the two species of Glomus had no significant effect on the growth of P. annua, while hemiparasite infection caused a significant reduction in host biomass. Mycorrhizal status of P. annua hosts (i.e. presence/absence of AM fungus) affected neither the biomass nor the number of flowers produced by the attached O. vulgaris plants. Infection with G. claroideum BEG31 greatly increased the biomass of T. pratense, but hemiparasite infection had no effect. The hemiparasitic R. serotinus plants attached to mycorrhizal hosts had higher biomass and produced more flowers than plants growing with non-mycorrhizal hosts. Roots of T. pratense were colonized by the AM fungus to an extent independent of the presence or absence of the hemiparasite. Our results confirm earlier findings that the mycorrhizal status of a host plant can affect the performance of an attached root hemiparasite. However, improvement of the performance of the parasitic plant following attachment to a mycorrhizal host depends on the extent to which the AM fungi is able to enhance the growth of the host. Accepted: 23 February 2001     

Meta-analysis of standing crop reduction byRhinanthus spp. and its effect on vegetation structure

We performed a quantitative literature review on the effect of the root hemiparasiteRhinanthus on vegetation standing crop. (1) Across all available experimental studies in mixed vegetation and in pots, above-ground biomass of co-occurring species is generally reduced, with on average 40% and 60% of the value in the controls respectively. Total above-ground biomass, as the sum of parasite biomass and biomass of co-occurring species, decreases in most cases. For field experiments this reduction amounts, on average, to 26% of the control value. This implies that there is no compensation by the parasites’ biomass for the loss of biomass of co-occurring species due to parasite infection. This can be attributed to the low resource-use efficiency of hemiparasites. Meta-analysis confirmed these trends. (2) In pot experiments, the negative effect of the parasite on the above-ground biomass of the host increases with the number ofRhinanthus plants. In field experiments, we found no relationship between biomass reduction andRhinanthus density. (3) Total above-ground biomass reduction in field experiments increases with standing crop of the vegetation. However, reduction in above-ground biomass of co-occurring species seems to decrease with standing crop. Functional and species diversity buffer the community against negative effects ofRhinanthus. (4) In field experiments, functional groups are affected differently byRhinanthus spp. Grasses and legumes are mostly strongly reduced by the hemiparasites. Non-leguminous dicots mostly benefit from the presence ofRhinanthus. (5) In one out of four weeding experiments,Rhinanthus spp. has a significant (positive) effect on species number. However, the response of plant diversity to invasion of parasitic plants requires further research.     

Interactions Between Rhinanthus minor and Its Hosts: A Review of Water, Mineral Nutrient and Hormone Flows and Exchanges in the Hemiparasitic Association

At the ecological level, the effects of the facultative root hemiparasite Rhinanthus minor on the structure and functioning of its host communities are relative well described; yet until recently, the mechanistic basis for parasitic plant-driven community change and the physiological basis for the host-parasite interaction were poorly understood. Empirical incremental flow models, based on the increase in water, mineral nutrients, carbon assimilates or phytohormones between two defined time points, have been successfully employed to investigate the physiology of resource acquisition by- and distribution within host-parasitic plant associations. In this study we review the application of these empirical flow models to Rhinanthus-host associations showing the extent of and physiological basis of resource abstraction from the host and how this is profoundly influenced by soil nutrient status. We show that Rhinanthus primarily abstracts water and mineral nutrients via the apoplastic pathway through direct lumen-lumen connections with little resource acquisition via symplastic pathways. Nutrient status of the soil is shown to significantly influence the resource acquisition. We also investigate the hormonal regulation of resource acquisition by Rhinanthus showing pivotal roles for the key for the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinins.     

Interactive effects of mycorrhizae and a root hemiparasite on plant community productivity and diversity

Plant communities can be affected both by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and hemiparasitic plants. However, little is known about the interactive effects of these two biotic factors on the productivity and diversity of plant communities. To address this question, we set up a greenhouse study in which different AMF inocula and a hemiparasitic plant (Rhinanthus minor) were added to experimental grassland communities in a fully factorial design. In addition, single plants of each species in the grassland community were grown with the same treatments to distinguish direct AMF effects from indirect effects via plant competition. We found that AMF changed plant community structure by influencing the plant species differently. At the community level, AMF decreased the productivity by 15–24%, depending on the particular AMF treatment, mainly because two dominant species, Holcus lanatus and Plantago lanceolata, showed a negative mycorrhizal dependency. Concomitantly, plant diversity increased due to AMF inoculation and was highest in the treatment with a combination of two commercial AM strains. AMF had a positive effect on growth of the hemiparasite, and thereby induced a negative impact of the hemiparasite on host plant biomass which was not found in non-inoculated communities. However, the hemiparasite did not increase plant diversity. Our results highlight the importance of interactions with soil microbes for plant community structure and that these indirect effects can vary among AMF treatments. We conclude that mutualistic interactions with AMF, but not antagonistic interactions with a root hemiparasite, promote plant diversity in this grassland community. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Spatial analysis of root hemiparasitic shrubs and their hosts: a search for spatial signatures of above- and below-ground interactions

Root hemiparasitic plants take up resources from the roots of neighbouring plants, which they use for fuelling their own growth. While taking up resources from the hosts below-ground, they may simultaneously compete with the hosts for sunlight. Suppression caused by the parasitism could result in openings in the vegetation structure and increased mortality levels. On the other hand, the root hemiparasites may also be constrained by the hosts, restricting the parasites to a limited number of locations within a community. These vegetation alterations and location restrictions can be referred to as spatial signatures of the root hemiparasites. In order to search for such spatial signatures, we investigated a population of a predominant Acacia species in Australia co-occurring with established root hemiparasitic shrubs, using intensity estimates of the Acacia and dead shrubs to be indicators of parasite populations. We find evidence that the root hemiparasitic shrubs, like herbaceous root hemiparasites, prefer growing at distances from neighbouring plants that fulfil resource requirements both below-ground and above-ground. Assuming that root hemiparasites are limited by their hosts, we present an optimal host density and distance to host hypothesis (‘Goldilocks hypothesis’) to account for such a vegetation pattern. Although mortality appeared to primarily result from intraspecific competition and shoot parasitism, the root parasitism could explain some of the mortality in open areas. It is likely that both processes occur simultaneously. In spite of differing annual and perennial life strategies among root hemiparasites, root parasitism across systems may follow these two general processes in the formation of vegetation patterns.     

The impact of Rhinanthus minor in newly established meadows on a productive site

Question: What is the impact of the presence of Rhinanthus minor on forb abundance in newly established swards? Location: Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK (53°55’N, 1°22’W). Method: A standard meadow mix containing six forbs and six grasses was sown on an ex‐arable field and immediately over‐sown using a randomised plot design with three densities of Rhinanthus minor (0, 600, and 1000 seeds per m²). Above‐ground biomass was analysed over a period of three years, while detailed assessments of sward composition were performed during the first two years. Results: Values of grass biomass were reduced in the presence of Rhinanthus, especially at the higher sowing density. The ratio of grass: forb biomass was also lower in association with Rhinanthus, but only at the higher sowing density. The presence of Rhinanthus had no effect on species number or diversity, which decreased between years regardless of treatment. Conclusions: Although not tested in a multi‐site experiment, the benefit of introducing Rhinanthus into newly established swards to promote forb abundance was determined. The efficacy of Rhinanthus presence is likely to depend on whether species not susceptible to the effects of parasitism are present.     

Host Dependence and Preference of the Root Hemiparasite, Pedicularis cephalantha Franch. (Orobanchaceae)

The interaction between parasitic plants and their hosts is an important topic in both agriculture and ecology. Little, however, is known about that of the hemiparasite Pedicularis. It is essential to understand the host dependence and preference of Pedicularis for successful cultivation of plants in this genus and for understanding the roles they play in natural communities. We tested the effects of two herbaceous host species (Trifolium repens and Polypogon monspeliensis) on the survival and growth performance of Pedicularis cephalantha. Five P. cephalantha seedlings and two host plants were planted in each pot. In the control, no host plants were planted (treatment 1). Host plants were planted in three combinations: only T. repens (treatment 2) or P. monspeliensis (treatment 3) or a mixture of both (treatment 4). The results showed that P. cephalantha performed better in the presence of host plants, and host plants are more essential to P. cephalantha for proper development than for survival. The grass host P. monspeliensis proved to be a better host plant for P. cephalantha than the legume host T. repens. The high dependence of P. cephalantha on host plants and its host preference were demonstrated in this study. This is the first report of the performance of Chinese Pedicularis species in cultivation throughout all life stages (from seeds to seeds).     

Damage caused by mistletoe Misodendrum punctulatum Banks Ex Dc. on architecture and radial growth of Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. et Endl.) Krasser forests of southern Chile

Parasitic plants rely completely or partially on host plant, namely holoparasitic or hemiparasitic, respectively. The effect of parasitism on host plants is not fully known. Misodendrum punctulatum (Misodendraceae) is the most common hemiparasite species in the southernmost forests of Chile and Argentina, and it has been identified as an important sanitary problem in forestry. In this study we evaluated the M. punctulatum effect on growth rates and architecture of pure Nothofagus pumilio (Nothofagaceae) forests in southern South America (52°10′S; 71°55′W). We established three plots of 30 × 30 m, and 10 cores were extracted from diameter at breast height (d.b.h. = 1.3 m) from living trees in each plot, using increment borers. Tree rings were measured, and anova was used to compare the annual growth rate of both infected and uninfected N. pumilio. The results showed that N. pumilio trees severely infected by M. punctulatum reduce growth rates in contrast with uninfected individuals (P < 0.05). Besides, trees with high‐infection levels evidenced deterioration in its architecture, showing asymmetric and suppressed canopies, according to ad hoc numerical indexes. This study provides a starting point to understand the parasite–host relationship in the Patagonian forests of southern Chile.     

Eco-evolutionary litter feedback as a driver of exotic plant invasion

Many studies have examined positive feedbacks between invasive plant traits and nutrient cycling, but few have investigated whether feedbacks arise from introduction of pre-adapted species or from eco-evolutionary feedback that develops after introduction. Eco-evolutionary feedback could occur between an invader's leaf tissue C:N ratio and its response to litter accumulation. Previous modeling predicts that occurrence of this feedback would be reflected by: (1) field data showing higher litter:biomass ratios in the invasive range; (2) high C:N genotypes benefiting more from experimental litter additions than low C:N genotypes; (3) this beneficial effect on high C:N genotypes inducing a critical transition toward invader dominance when a critical amount of litter is added to a native species-dominated community experiencing low nutrient conditions. Here, we empirically tested these predictions for the invasive grass Phalaris arundinacea, which has undergone post-introduction evolutionary change toward attaining higher C:N ratios under high nutrient conditions. We performed a biogeographical comparison of litter:biomass ratios in the native (Europe) and invasive (USA) range, and an experiment with mesocosms from the invasive range under low nutrient conditions. Low and high C:N Phalaris genotypes were introduced into native-dominated and bare mesocosms, to which varying litter amounts were added. The biogeographical comparison revealed that litter:biomass ratios were higher in the invasive range. The mesocosm experiment showed that when grown in isolation, only high C:N genotypes responded positively to litter. This effect, however, was not strong enough to stimulate Phalaris when exposed to competition with native species. Our results suggest that eco-evolutionary feedback between Phalaris’ C:N ratio and litter accumulation could occur, but only under high nutrient conditions. Our experiments suggest that eco-evolutionary feedback may select for specialist rather than superior genotypes. Hence, genotypic variation induced by post-introduction admixture may be subject to context-dependent selection due to eco-evolutionary feedback, increasing trait variation within invasive populations.     

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi suppresses initiation of haustoria in the root hemiparasite Pedicularis tricolor

Background and Aims

Plant parasitism and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) associations have many parallels and share a number of regulatory pathways. Despite a rapid increase in investigations addressing the roles of AM fungi in regulating interactions between parasitic plants and their hosts, few studies have tested the effect of AM fungi on the initiation and differentiation of haustoria, the parasite-specific structures exclusively responsible for host attachment and nutrient transfer. In this study, we tested the influence of AM fungi on haustorium formation in a root hemiparasitic plant.

Methods

Using a facultative root hemiparasitic species (Pedicularis tricolor) with the potential to form AM associations, the effects of inoculation were tested with two AM fungal species, Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices, on haustorium initiation in P. tricolor grown alone or with Hordeum vulgare ‘Fleet’ (barley) as the host plant. This study consisted of two greenhouse pot experiments.

Key Results

Both AM fungal species dramatically suppressed intraspecific haustorium initiation in P. tricolor at a very low colonization level. The suppression over-rode inductive effects of the parasite''s host plant on haustoria production and caused significant growth depression of P. tricolor.

Conclusions

AM fungi had strong and direct suppressive effects on haustorium formation in the root hemiparasite. The significant role of AM fungi in haustorium initiation of parasitic plants was demonstrated for the first time. This study provides new clues for the regulation of haustorium formation and a route to development of new biocontrol strategies in management of parasitic weeds.