The influence of cactus size and previous infection on bird deposition of mistletoe seeds

Rio, Carlos Martı́nez del; Hourdequin, Marion; Silva, A.; Medel, Rodrigo

doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1995.tb00577.x

Cited by 44 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 16 publications

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“…Several studies have shown mistletoe density to be positively correlated to host tree size (Overton, 1994, Martinez del Rio et al, 1995, Lei 1999Aukema & Martinez del Rio, 2002;Shaw et al, 2005;Matula et al, 2015;Pérez-Crespo et al, 2016). Consistent with those studies, we found mistletoe is likely to occur in greater densities on larger host trees.…”

Section: Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii) distribution is biased towards northern and river-facing positions within the crown of urban gum trees

Schmidt¹

2018

The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland

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Population dynamics of epiphytic hemi-parasitic plants are excellent examples of how complex ecological relationships (host, parasite, disperser) influence the spatial distribution pattern of species. While the spatial distribution of mistletoe has been studied at landscape scales, less research has focused on patterns occurring within individual host trees which may be colonised by multiple mistletoes. Here we investigate the spatial distribution of Amyema miquelii (Loranthaceae) within the crown of gum trees Eucalyptus tereticornis (Myrtaceae) in urban parkland along the Brisbane River in southeast Queensland. Gums with and without A. miguelii, were surveyed by measuring DBH, tree height and crown diameter to assess the influence of host size on the presence and abundance of mistletoe. Withinhost distribution of A. miquelii was examined by dividing the crown of host trees into four quadrants based on aspect (north, south, east and west). Quadrants facing the river and built environment were noted to investigate if the position of A. miquelii was influenced by proximity to the river or urban development in addition to aspect. Results of statistical analysis revealed that within 133 E. tereticornis, A. miquelii was spatially aggregated and in highest densities in large E. tereticornis. Mistletoe occurred significantly more on the riverside of the crown and in significantly higher densities in the northern quadrant of the host tree. We speculate on possible causes for the observed patterns of intra-host mistletoe distribution, particularly in relation to behaviour of the Australian mistletoebird (Dicaewm hirundinaceum) in urban environments. This study furthers our understanding of intra-host distribution of mistletoe, provides information relevant to managing mistletoe infections, and raises questions 49 regarding the influence of urbanisation on foraging behaviour of the Australian mistletoebird.

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Section: Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii) distribution is biased towards northern and river-facing positions within the crown of urban gum trees

Schmidt¹

2018

The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland

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Spatiotemporal mutualistic model of mistletoes and birds

et al. 2013

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A mathematical model which incorporates the spatial dispersal and interaction dynamics of mistletoes and birds is derived and studied to gain insights of the spatial heterogeneity in abundance of mistletoes. Fickian diffusion and chemotaxis are used to model the random movement of birds and the aggregation of birds due to the attraction of mistletoes, respectively. The spread of mistletoes by birds is expressed by a dispersal operator, which is typically a convolution integral with a dispersal kernel. Two different types of kernel functions are used to study the model, one is a Dirac delta function which reflects the special case that the spread behavior is local, and the other one is a general non-negative symmetric function which describes the nonlocal spread of mistletoes. When the kernel function is taken as the Dirac delta function, the threshold condition for the existence of mistletoes is given and explored in terms of parameters. For the general non-negative symmetric kernel case, we prove the existence and stability of spatially nonhomogeneous equilibria. Numerical simulations are conducted by taking specific forms of kernel functions. Our study shows that the spatial heterogeneous patterns of mistletoes are related to the specific dispersal pattern of birds which carry mistletoe seeds.

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Generalist birds govern the seed dispersal of a parasitic plant with strong recruitment constraints

Mellado

Zamora

2014

Oecologia

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Mistletoes constitute instructive study cases with which to address the role of generalist consumers in the study of plant-animal interactions. Their ranges of safe sites for recruitment are among the most restricted of any plant; therefore, frugivores specializing in mistletoe have been considered almost indispensable for the seed dispersal of these parasitic plants. However, the absence of such specialists in numerous regions inhabited by many mistletoe species raises the question of whether unspecialized vectors may successfully disperse mistletoe seeds to narrowly defined safe sites. Using the European mistletoe Viscum album subsp. austriacum as a study case, we recorded a broad range of 11 bird species that disperse mistletoe seeds. For these species, we studied the mistletoe-visitation rate and feeding behavior to estimate the quantity component of dispersal effectiveness, and the post-foraging microhabitat use, seed handling, and recruitment probabilities of different microhabitats as a measure of the quality component of effectiveness. Both endozoochory and ectozoochory are valid dispersal mechanisms, as the seeds do not need to be ingested to germinate, increasing seed-dispersal versatility. Thrushes were the most effective dispersers, although they were rather inefficient, whereas small birds (both frugivores and non-frugivores) offered low-quantity but high-quality services for depositing seeds directly upon safe sites. As birds behave similarly on parasitized and non-parasitized hosts, and vectors have broad home ranges, reinfection within patches and the colonization of new patches are ensured by an ample assemblage of generalist birds. Thus, a parasitic plant requiring precision in seed dispersal can rely on unspecialized dispersers.

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The influence of cactus size and previous infection on bird deposition of mistletoe seeds

Cited by 44 publications

References 16 publications

Box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii) distribution is biased towards northern and river-facing positions within the crown of urban gum trees

Box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii) distribution is biased towards northern and river-facing positions within the crown of urban gum trees

Spatiotemporal mutualistic model of mistletoes and birds

Generalist birds govern the seed dispersal of a parasitic plant with strong recruitment constraints

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