Do epiphytes affect the fitness of their phorophytes? The case of Tillandsia recurvata on Bursera copallifera

IF 1 4区环境科学与生态学 Q4 ECOLOGY

Journal of Tropical Ecology Pub Date : 2024-04-29 DOI:10.1017/s0266467424000117

Carmen Agglael Vergara-Torres, Susana Valencia-Díaz, José Guadalupe García-Franco, Alejandro Flores-Palacios

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The studies about the negative effect of epiphytes on their phorophytes show contradictory results and are based on limited variables (e.g., shoot survival). On branches of Bursera copallifera, we experimented with the transplantation/removal of Tillandsia recurvata and artificial tussocks, measuring shoot survival, growth, generation of new shoots, and production of inflorescences and fruits. Most single traits did not differ between treatments. The generation of new shoots was lower in the treatments where T. recurvata was present and increased in the branches where it was removed. The lowest shoot survival was in the treatments where T. recurvata was present or was removed. Removing T. recurvata increased plant relative fitness, and it was 43% lower in branches with T. recurvata. Tillandsia recurvata is a structural parasite of B. copallifera. A negative effect of epiphytes on their phorophytes appears counterintuitive since it would not be evolutionarily stable for an epiphyte to shorten the lifespan of its support. Tillandsia recurvata populations are concentrated on B. copallifera branches between 2-4 cm in diameter, while smaller branches are mostly empty, so it is possible that the negative effect of T. recurvata occurs in the smallest branches, explaining why T. recurvata populations are biased to larger branches.

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附生植物会影响其噬菌体的适应性吗？绣线菊上的Tillandsia recurvata案例

关于附生植物对其噬菌体的负面影响的研究结果相互矛盾，而且都是基于有限的变量（如嫩枝存活率）。我们在 Bursera copallifera 的枝条上进行了移植/移除 Tillandsia recurvata 和人工草丛的实验，测量了枝条的存活率、生长、新枝的生成以及花序和果实的产量。大多数单一性状在不同处理之间没有差异。在有 T. recurvata 的处理中，新芽的生成量较低，而在移除 T. recurvata 的枝条中，新芽的生成量则有所增加。在存在或移除 T. recurvata 的处理中，新芽存活率最低。移除 T. recurvata 会增加植物的相对适合度，有 T. recurvata 的枝条相对适合度要低 43%。Tillandsia recurvata 是 B. copallifera 的一种结构寄生植物。附生植物对其噬菌体的负面影响似乎与直觉相反，因为附生植物缩短其支持物的寿命在进化过程中并不稳定。Tillandsia recurvata 的种群主要集中在 B. copallifera 直径 2-4 厘米的枝条上，而较小的枝条上大多没有 Tillandsia recurvata，因此 T. recurvata 的负面影响可能发生在最小的枝条上，这也解释了为什么 T. recurvata 的种群偏向于较大的枝条。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Tropical Ecology 环境科学-生态学

CiteScore

2.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

18-36 weeks

期刊介绍： Journal of Tropical Ecology aims to address topics of general relevance and significance to tropical ecology. This includes sub-disciplines of ecology, such as conservation biology, evolutionary ecology, marine ecology, microbial ecology, molecular ecology, quantitative ecology, etc. Studies in the field of tropical medicine, specifically where it involves ecological surroundings (e.g., zoonotic or vector-borne disease ecology), are also suitable. We also welcome methods papers, provided that the techniques are well-described and are of broad general utility. Please keep in mind that studies focused on specific geographic regions or on particular taxa will be better suited to more specialist journals. In order to help the editors make their decision, in your cover letter please address the specific hypothesis your study addresses, and how the results will interest the broad field of tropical ecology. While we will consider purely descriptive studies of outstanding general interest, the case for them should be made in the cover letter.