The hemiparasitic angiosperm Bartsia alpina has the potential to accelerate decomposition in sub-arctic communities

Quested, Helen M.; Press, M. C.; Callaghan, Terry V.; Cornelissen, Johannes H. C.

doi:10.1007/s004420100780

Cited by 80 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This mechanism would be analogous to those occurring in microbial consortia that are thought to be important in many substrate breakdown processes (Costerton et al 1995). Though other studies have found otherwise (e.g., Wardle et al 1997;Quested et al 2002), our study suggests there may be more opportunity Fig. 2 Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination of the microbial communities on decomposing aspen (P. tremuloides), Douglas-Wr (P. menziesii), ponderosa limber pine (P. Xexilis), and ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa) litter based on PLFA proWles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Biodiversity at the plant–soil interface: microbial abundance and community structure respond to litter mixing

2009

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The interactive eVects of diversity in plants and microbial communities at the litter interface are not well understood. Mixtures of plant litter from diVerent species often decompose diVerently than when individual species decompose alone. Previously, we found that litter mixtures of multiple conifers decomposed more rapidly than expected, but litter mixtures that included conifer and aspen litter did not. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these diversity eVects may help explain existing anomalous decay dynamics and provide a glimpse into the elusive linkage between plant diversity and the fungi and bacteria that carry out decomposition. We examined the microbial communities on litter from individual plant species decomposing both in mixture and alone. We assessed two main hypotheses to explain how the decomposer community could stimulate mixed-litter decomposition above predicted rates: either by being more abundant, or having a diVerent or more diverse community structure than when microbes decompose a single species of litter. Fungal, bacterial and total phospholipid fatty acid microbial biomass increased by over 40% on both conifer and aspen litter types in mixture, and microbial community composition changed signiWcantly when plant litter types were mixed. Microbial diversity also increased with increasing plant litter diversity. While our data provide support for both the increased abundance hypothesis and the altered microbial community hypothesis, microbial changes do not translate to predictably altered litter decomposition and may only produce synergisms when mixed litters are functionally similar.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Biodiversity at the plant–soil interface: microbial abundance and community structure respond to litter mixing

2009

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“…Through the parasitism pathway strong parasites reduce host growth, which in turn alters diversity and reduces community productivity. However, hemiparasites tend to concentrate nutrients in leaves, which increases litter decomposition and nutrient release (Quested et al 2002(Quested et al , 2003Watson 2009). Through the alternative litter pathway, hemiparasites increase nutrient availability in the community, leading to little change in diversity and increased community productivity.…”

Section: (B)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource limitation and the role of a hemiparasite on a restored prairie

Borowicz

Armstrong

2012

Oecologia

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Hemiparasitic plants tend to thrive in and significantly affect plant communities in low-nutrient, high-light environments. Hemiparasites are assumed to be weak competitors for light but strong parasites, leading to the prediction that effects on hosts and communities should be a function of resource supply. We investigated the effects of light and mineral nutrients on hemiparasite-host relations in two experiments. Removal of the hemiparasite, addition of fertilizer, and full sun significantly increased total aboveground dry mass in small plots on a restored tallgrass prairie. After 3 years, removal of Pedicularis canadensis almost doubled the mass of grasses and had smaller effects on forb species, but the impact of the parasite was independent of resource level. Fertilizer increased grass growth only in full sun, increased non-legume forb growth only when shade was applied, and tended to depress legume growth when shaded. Light manipulation did not affect the hemiparasite across 4 years of manipulation but fertilizer increased P. canadensis shoot mass. A complementary greenhouse experiment with Andropogon gerardii as host produced qualitatively similar effects and showed that shade reduced root growth of both the host and the parasite. These results do not support common assumptions regarding hemiparasite-host relations under field conditions but indicate that a small hemiparasite can significantly affect prairie productivity regardless of resource supply.

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“…One such mechanism by which parasitic plants may positively influence co-occurring species is via enhanced nutrient cycling (Press 1998;Quested et al 2002). Parasites typically have greater foliar nutrient concentrations than their hosts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Litter of the hemiparasite Bartsia alpina enhances plant growth: evidence for a functional role in nutrient cycling

2003

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Hemiparasitic angiosperms concentrate nutrients in their leaves and also produce high quality litter, which can decompose faster and release more nutrients than that of surrounding species. The impact of these litters on plant growth may be particularly important in nutrient-poor communities where hemiparisites can be abundant, such as the sub-Arctic. We tested the hypothesis that plant growth is enhanced by the litter of the hemiparasite Bartsia alpina, in comparison with litter of co-occurring dwarf shrub species, using a pot based bioassay approach. Growth of Betula nana and Poa alpina was up to 51% and 41% greater, respectively, in the presence of Bartsia alpina litter than when grown with dwarf shrub litter (Vaccinium uliginosum, Betula nana and Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum). The nutrient concentrations of Betula nana plants grown with Bartsia alpina litter were almost double those of plants grown with dwarf shrub litter, and a significantly greater proportion of biomass was allocated to shoots rather than roots, strongly suggesting that nutrient availability was higher where Bartsia alpina litter was present. The presence of litter from dwarf shrubs, or the moss Hylocomium splendens, did not reduce the positive effect of Bartsia alpina litter on plant growth. E. nigrum litter did not appear to affect plant growth substantially differently from litter of other dwarf shrub species, despite earlier reports of its allelopathic action. The enhanced nutrient uptake and growth of plants in the presence of Bartsia alpina (and potentially other hemiparasitic species) litter could have important implications for communities in which it occurs, including enhanced survival of seedlings of co-occurring species and increased resource patchiness.

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The hemiparasitic angiosperm Bartsia alpina has the potential to accelerate decomposition in sub-arctic communities

Cited by 80 publications

References 49 publications

Biodiversity at the plant–soil interface: microbial abundance and community structure respond to litter mixing

Biodiversity at the plant–soil interface: microbial abundance and community structure respond to litter mixing

Resource limitation and the role of a hemiparasite on a restored prairie

Litter of the hemiparasite Bartsia alpina enhances plant growth: evidence for a functional role in nutrient cycling

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