LTER: Parasitic Interactions in Higher Plants

虽然人们对动物之间的寄生相互作用知之甚少，但对高等植物之间的寄生相互作用的控制因素却知之甚少。这项研究将集中在田间自然和人工改良的环境条件下寄生虫(槲寄生)和寄主(刺柏)之间的水分和营养关系。这项拟议的研究将测试与宿主和寄生虫之间的水和营养通量有关的具体假设，并应导致对控制这些相互作用的因素的新见解，以及关于这种形式的生物相互作用可能进化的新见解。作为该方法的一部分，这项研究将利用生态科学中一种新的强大工具--自然丰度水平下的稳定同位素比率分析，来评估寄主和寄生虫的长期生理表现。在这项研究的应用方面，槲寄生是导致全国木材生产率显著下降的原因，如果我们能够更好地了解控制寄主-寄生虫相互作用的因素，我们就更有可能了解如何控制这一严重危害木材行业的有害生物。

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.//