Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy

Functional Plant Biology : FPB
Susanne Schmidt, Dieter P Tracey

Abstract

Figs are rainforest keystone species. Non-strangler figs establish on the forest floor; strangler figs establish epiphytically, followed by a dramatic transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree that kills its hosts. Free-standing figs display vigorous growth and resource demand suggesting that epiphytic strangler figs require special adaptations to deal with resource limitations imposed by the epiphytic environment. We studied epiphytic and free-standing strangler figs, and non-strangler figs in tropical rainforest and in cultivation, as well as strangler figs in controlled conditions. We investigated whether the transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree is characterised by morphological and physiological plasticity. Epiphyte substrate had higher levels of plant-available ammonium and phosphate, and similar levels of nitrate compared with rainforest soil, suggesting that N and P are initially not limiting resources. A relationship was found between taxonomic groups and plant N physiology; strangler figs, all members of subgenus Urostigma, had mostly low foliar nitrate assimilation rates whereas non-strangler figs, in subgenera Pharmacocycea, Sycidium, Sycomorus or Synoecia, had moderate to high rates. Nitrate is an ene...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1996·Tree Physiology·Matthew H. TurnbullGeorge R. Stewart
Jan 1, 1975·Planta·D RhodesG R Stewart
Dec 1, 1987·Oecologia·I P TingG Goldstein
Jun 1, 2004·Functional Plant Biology : FPB·Susanne SchmidtGeorge R Stewart
Aug 1, 2004·Functional Plant Biology : FPB·G Heinrich KrauseKlaus Winter
Jun 1, 2002·Functional Plant Biology : FPB·Wolfgang WanekMarianne Popp
Jun 1, 2002·Functional Plant Biology : FPB·Wolfgang WanekMarianne Popp

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