Diversity and distribution of parasitic angiosperms in China

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.

Effect of global warming on the potential distribution of a holoparasitic plant (Phelypaea tournefortii): both climate and host distribution matter

“…climate, soil, topography) and biological factors (i.e. hosts, competition, mimicry, herbivory) influence the proper development and survival of parasitic plant populations 18 , 74 , 75 . Also, different parasite-host pairs vary in the overlap of ecological tolerances influencing their habitat distribution 29 .…”

Ecology and Diversity of Angiosperm Parasites and Their Host Plants along Elevation Gradient in Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia

“…There were 34 parasitic species belonging to eight families recorded in the flora of Saudi Arabia [39]. However, the number of parasitic plants in Saudi Arabia is much lower than that of Nepal (151) [40], Turkey (146), and China (678 species) [41]. This variation could be attributed to host availability and abiotic stress, which are the key factors affecting the distribution and abundance of parasitic plants or other ecological factors.…”

“…In southwest China, Luo et al [60] found only three hosts out of 88 species in the tropical forest that were parasitized by Dendrophthoe pentandra, which indicates that the abundance and host richness of species did not explain the frequency of infections at the sampling unit. Zhang et al [41] reported that the abundance of parasitic plants in a particular site is usually determined by environmental (altitude, area, longitude, and latitude) and biological (dispersal vector and host availability) factors. Host plants' diversity and different kinds of habitats can also influence the spreading and density of parasitic species [61].…”

Predicting the potential distribution of four endangered holoparasites and their primary hosts in China under climate change

“…The growth and distribution of parasitic plants are influenced by environmental factors (i.e., climate, soil, topography), and by biological factors (i.e., competition, mimicry, herbivory) ( Heide-Jørgensen, 2008 ; Zhang et al, 2018 ; Jiang and Zhang, 2021 ). Based on ArcGIS-based MaxEnt modeling, we found that among the four parasite-host pairs, Cynomorium songaricum and Nitraria sibirica had two common climate factors: Bio7 and Bio17, Boschniakia rossica and Alnus mandshurica also had two ones: Bio4 and Bio14 ( Table 2 ).…”