Reciprocal transplant experiment suggests host specificity of the mistletoe <i>Agelanthus natalitius</i> in South Africa

Okubamichael, Desale Y.; Griffiths, Megan; Ward, David

doi:10.1017/s0266467413000801

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…While our results are in agreement with previous studies (e.g. Yan 1993a, b;Fadini 2011), they contrast with others that emphasize a larger role of dispersal patterns as compared to plant compatibility in shaping mistletoe abundance (Roxburgh & Nicolson 2005;Glatzel & Geils 2008;Okubamichael, Griffiths & Ward 2014). Our results also point out that dispersal is important, but in ways that reflect the intricacies of plant-frugivore interactions (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…plant suitability) and to quantify establishment and growth rates of mistletoe among experimental plants (Yan ; Roxburgh & Nicolson ; Messias et al . ; Okubamichael, Griffiths & Ward ; Luo et al . ), we planted seeds of D. caribaeus on branches of selected tree species.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to evaluate mistletoe-plant compatibility (i.e. plant suitability) and to quantify establishment and growth rates of mistletoe among experimental plants (Yan 1993b;Roxburgh & Nicolson 2008;Messias et al 2014;Okubamichael, Griffiths & Ward 2014;Luo et al 2016), we planted seeds of D. caribaeus on branches of selected tree species. We selected 11 locally common and phylogenetically disparate tree species that share avian frugivores with D. caribaeus at the study site (see Carlo & Morales 2016…”

Section: A S S E S S I N G D I S P E R S a L V S E S T A B L I S H mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dissecting the contributions of dispersal and host properties to the local abundance of a tropical mistletoe

et al. 2017

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Summary 1.The interplay between dispersal and adaptation to local environments ultimately determines the distribution of plant species, but their relative contribution remains little understood. Tropical mistletoes provide the opportunity to dissect these contributions of dispersal and adaptation, because as hemiparasitic plants, they are typically adapted to grow on a handful of species within diverse tropical communities and are non-randomly dispersed by mutualistic frugivorous birds. 2. Here we hypothesized that the primary determinant of the abundance of a tropical mistletoe (Dendropemon caribaeus, Loranthaceae) in Puerto Rico will be the compatibility between the mistletoe and plant species in a community. Alternatively, the mistletoe's abundance could be primarily shaped by other factors such as the availability of potential host plants, or factors that determine how mistletoe seeds are dispersed by avian frugivores. We conducted surveys and experiments to assess the capacity of this mistletoe to grow on trees available in the local community, and measured the monthly phenology and seed dispersal patterns of the mistletoe and other bird-dispersed plants in the community over a period of 4 years. A path model was used to evaluate how the abundance of the mistletoe was shaped by host abundance, fruiting phenology, bird dispersal and compatibilities with host plants. 3. Our analyses show that the compatibility between mistletoe and host tree species, measured by mistletoe survival and growth rate, was the most important factor for mistletoe abundance. The next most important factor was the phenological characteristics of the hosts; this outcome likely arose because frugivory and seed dispersal services for mistletoes and hosts are performed by the same birds. 4. Synthesis. Mistletoes often parasitize only a subset of the suitable plant species that are available in a given community. Our results indicate that such patterns are not only determined by host quality and abundance but also by the phenological patterns of trees that influence the probabilities of mistletoe seeds being deposited on them by shared avian seed dispersers.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A S S E S S I N G D I S P E R S a L V S E S T A B L I S H mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dissecting the contributions of dispersal and host properties to the local abundance of a tropical mistletoe

et al. 2017

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“…Clay et al (1985) found that development of haustorial disks of Phoradendron tomentosum seedlings was significantly greater when experimental host and source host species were the same, rather than different, species. Okubamichael et al (2014) also obtained a similar result demonstrating that hypocotyls of Agelanthus natalitius seedlings grew longer within their own source hosts. Dodder ( Cuscuta pentagona ), an aerial parasite, but not a mistletoe, also uses volatile chemicals released by the host to sense the location of the hosts and to cue haustorium development on preferred host species (Runyon et al 2006).…”

Section: Host Abundance and Compatibilitymentioning

confidence: 53%

Host specificity in parasitic plants—perspectives from mistletoes

Okubamichael¹,

Griffiths²,

Ward³

2015

AoB PLANTS

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Mistletoes are very fascinating parasitic plants. For centuries, people have been kissing under mistletoes during Christmas celebrations. Unlike most common plants, mistletoes grow on the branches of other plants and rely on these "host" plants for water and nutrients. Scientists have been trying to understand why parasitic plants differ in the number of host species parasitised. Like many parasitic plants, mistletoes can parasitise several plant species or only use one or far fewer species. This review contributes to the current broad understanding of parasite-host interactions using mistletoe as a case study. Future research needs are also highlighted.

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“…The species popularly known as mistletoes are hemiparasitic plants that grow on tree branches or host shrubs, establishing a connection (via haustorium) with the xylem, in order to get water and nutrients (Okubamichael et al, 2014). In Portuguese, they are called ervas-depassarinho (bird's herb grass) due the dispersion of their seeds, since their fruits feed different species of birds which, when defecating, take the seeds to long distances (Cazzeta and Galletti, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphometry and Germination of Passovia pyrifolia, Struthanthus marginatus and Phoradendron mucronatum Diaspores

et al. 2018

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-The goal of this work was to characterize morphometrically diaspores from three species of mistletoes (Passovia pyrifolia, Struthanthus marginatus e Phoradendron mucronatum), as well as to study its germination behavior according to temperature and luminosity. In germination tests, the completely randomized design was used, in factor scheme 4 x 2, with 4 replications of 15 diaspores. The factors for the first test were different temperatures and two diaspore conditions (intact and without epicarp). In the second test, factors were different light qualities and two diaspore conditions. The analyzed variables were: germination percentage, germination rate index (GRI) and mean germination time (MGT). Mistletoe's diaspores present an elliptic shape with viscin layer, an essential characteristic for the dispersion of the species. In addition to this, they present a distinction as for the moisture content when compared to the Loranthaceae and Viscaceae, where the latter presents the highest content. Germination is greater at the alternated temperature of 20-30 o C for P. pyrifolia and P. mucronatum diaspores and 20 o C for S. marginatus. Luminosity interfered in the germination of P. mucronatum and S. marginatus but did not influence P. pyrifolia. The diaspore condition influenced the germination of the three studied species, observing a significant increase in their germination when the epicarp was removed. Temperature and luminosity interfere directly in the GRI and MGT of the three mistletoes species.Keywords: mistletoes, temperature, luminosity. RESUMO -O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar morfometricamente diásporos de três espécies de ervas-de-passarinho (Passovia pyrifolia, Struthanthus marginatus e Phoradendron mucronatum), bem como estudar o seu comportamento germinativo em função de temperatura e luminosidade. Nos ensaios de germinação utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4 x 2, com 4 repetições de 15 diásporos. Os fatores para o primeiro ensaio foram diferentes temperaturas e duas condições do diásporo (intacto e sem epicarpo). No segundo ensaio, os fatores foram diferentes qualidades de luz e duas condições do diásporo. As variáveis analisadas foram: porcentagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG) e tempo médio de germinação (TMG). Os diásporos de ervas

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Reciprocal transplant experiment suggests host specificity of the mistletoe Agelanthus natalitius in South Africa

Cited by 15 publications

References 44 publications

Dissecting the contributions of dispersal and host properties to the local abundance of a tropical mistletoe

Dissecting the contributions of dispersal and host properties to the local abundance of a tropical mistletoe

Host specificity in parasitic plants—perspectives from mistletoes

Morphometry and Germination of Passovia pyrifolia, Struthanthus marginatus and Phoradendron mucronatum Diaspores

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