title: Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of mistletoes growing on nitrogen and non-nitrogen fixing hosts and on CAM plants in the Namib desert confirm partial heterotrophy.
abstract: Xylem-tapping mistletoe species growing on Mimosaccae, non-Mimosaceae and hosts performing Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) were studied along an aridity gradient in the Namib desert. °13C-values of mistletoes became more negative with decreasing nitrogen (N)-concentration in their leaves, while the host plants showed no such relationship. This might suggest that mistletoes regulate their water use efficiency according to the nitrogen supply from the host. However, further inspection of the data indicates that the relations of δ13C-values with leaf nitrogen in mistletoes may result from carbon input from the host. This is especially true for mistletoes growing on CAM plants which exhibit a very high δ13C-value, but show no evidence of CAM. It is calculated that about 60% of the carbon in mistletoes growing on C3 and on CAM hosts originated from the host. The hypothesis of Marshall and Ehleringer (1990) that xylem tapping mistletoes are also carbon parasites could explain the change in δ13C-values with N-supply and the difference in δ13C-values between mistletoes growing on C3 and CAM hosts.
authors.affiliation: Lchrstuhl Pflanzenökologie, Universität Bayreuth, Box 101251, W-8580, Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: E-D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl Botanik II, Universität Würzburg, Mittlerer Dallenbergweg 64, W-8700, Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Instrtut für Botanik und Mikrobiologie, TU München, Arcisstrasse 21, W-8000, München, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.affiliation: Lchrstuhl Pflanzenökologie, Universität Bayreuth, Box 101251, W-8580, Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gebauer
keywords: Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes; Mistletoe; Namibia; Nitrogen and carbon parasite; Water use efficiency