Research Explorer

Project

Impact of (hemi)-parasitic plants on plant community dynamics by direct changes in vegetation structure and indirect biogeochemical N feedback
Code
3G029607
Duration
01 January 2007 → 30 December 2012
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Other chemical sciences
    • Plant biology
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Agricultural plant production
Keywords
N cycling plant ecology parasitic plants vegetation dynamics
 
Project description
 

Parasitic plants affect the population dynamics, community structure and plant species diversity through direct impacts on host growth and indirectly through the redistribution of nitrogen in the ecosystem (through their nitrogen rich litter). The relative importance of this indirect effect would increase in more nitrogen limited ecosystems. This will be studied in ecosystems which vary in the level of intrinsic nitrogen availability.