LTER: Parasitic Interactions in Higher Plants

虽然人们对动物之间的寄生相互作用了解很多，但对高等植物之间寄生相互作用的控制因素知之甚少。本研究将重点研究在自然和实验改良的环境条件下寄生（槲寄生）与其寄主（杜松）之间的水和营养关系。拟议的研究将测试与宿主和寄生虫之间的水和养分流动有关的特定假设，并应导致对控制这些相互作用的因素的新见解，以及对为什么这种形式的生物相互作用可能已经进化的新见解。作为该方法的一部分，本研究将利用生态科学中一个新的强大工具，即自然丰度水平下的稳定同位素比率分析，来估计宿主和寄生虫的长期生理性能。在本研究的应用方面，槲寄生造成了全国木材生产力的显著下降，如果我们能更好地了解控制宿主-寄生虫相互作用的因素，我们就更有可能了解如何控制这种对木材工业造成严重危害的害虫。//

While much is known about the parasitic interactions among animals, little is known about factors governing the parasitic interactions among higher plants. This study will focus on the water and nutrient relations between a parasite (mistletoe) and its host (juniper) under natural and experimentally modified environmentally modified environmental conditions in the field. The proposed study will test specific hypotheses relating to the water and nutrient fluxes between host and parasite, and should lead to new insights on the factors governing these interactions as well as to new insights on why this form of biological interaction might have evolved. As part of the approach, this study will utilize a new and powerful tool in the ecological sciences, stable isotope ratio analysis at natural abundance levels, to estimate long-term physiological performance of both host and parasite. Among the applied aspects of this study, mistletoes account for a significant decrease in timber productivity nationally and if we can get a better understanding of the factors governing host-parasite interactions we are more likely to achieve an understanding of how to control this serious pest to the lumber industry.//