9/10: Fisher et al 2013

Question 1

what can parasitic plants indirectly affect?

Answer 1

community structure

Question 2

what did they test/measure? (2)

Answer 2

• R.minor hemiparasite litter in fertilised soil and low fertility natural soil
• measured biomass and tissue nutrient concentration of functional groups in community (grasses, forbes, legumes)

Question 3

what can Rhinanthus alter?

Answer 3

biomass and nutrient status of co-occurring plants but differently in different functional groups

Question 4

the litter of parasitic plants decomposes faster than non parasitic - what can it enhance?

Answer 4

soil fertility and growth of other plants

Question 5

in grasslands what functional group may have better access to parasite litter and why?

Answer 5

grasses rather than forbs as have a shallow more branched root system

Question 6

under what conditions may R.minor have more of an impact?

Answer 6

in less fertile conditions with limited nutrients

Question 7

by what % did R.minor litter addition increase or decrease total community biomass?

Answer 7

increase 10%

Question 8

what did R.minor parasitism reduce community biomass by?

Answer 8

28%

Question 9

what did higher fertility litter do to grass and forb biomass?

Answer 9

increased

little effect on forb

Question 10

what can litter input almost reverse?

Answer 10

effect of parasitism as work in opposite directions

Question 11

what did litter do to the biomass of unfertilised and fertilised communities and what did this mean for the community structure?

Answer 11

increased

but biomass differs between the groups so community structure altered

Question 12

what could litter addition to parasitised grasses restore?

Answer 12

productivity

Question 13

why may litter influence differ?

Answer 13

due to different spheres of influence at parasite roots

- some patches affected by indirect litter effects and not direct effects of parasitism