Interactions between hemiparasitic plants and their hosts: the importance of organic carbon transfer.
Hemiparasitic plants display a unique strategy of resource acquisition combining parasitism of other species and own photosynthetic activity. Despite the active photoassimilation and green habit, they acquire substantial amount of carbon from their hosts. The organic carbon transfer has a crucial influence on the nature of the interaction between hemiparasites and their hosts which can oscillate between parasitism and competition for light. In this minireview, we summarize methodical approaches and results of various studies dealing with carbon budget of hemiparasites and the ecological implications of carbon heterotrophy in hemiparasites.
Těšitel
Jakub
J
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. jakub.tesitel@prf.jcu.cz
Plavcová
Lenka
L
Cameron
Duncan D
DD
D001692:Biological Transport; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D052836:Heterotrophic Processes; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena
D002244:Carbon