TY - JOUR
T1 - On tropical mistletoes
T2 - Tractable models for evolutionary ecology, ecosystem function, and phytochemistry
AU - Watson, David M.
N1 - Includes bibliographical references.
PY - 2017/3
Y1 - 2017/3
N2 - In 2001, I synthesised published information on mistletoe-animal interactions, demonstrating the pervasive influence these hemiparasites have on community composition and proposing that mistletoes represent keystone resources. Although the review was global in scope, I noted “Tropical regions, in particular, are underrepresented in the mistletoe literature, and it is unclear if mistletoe is as important in structuring these highly diverse ecosystems as in less diverse temperate areas”. Since then, research on tropical mistletoes has burgeoned, as a growing number of researchers use these forest and woodland hemiparasites to address a wide range of ecological and evolutionary questions. In this commentary, I highlight some recent findings, revisit and refine some emergent inferences, and suggest that tropical mistletoes offer many opportunities for further research, representing tractable models to address many unanswered questions in the life sciences. As well as reinforcing the role of mistletoes as facilitators for plant communities and keystone resources for animal assemblages, research on mistletoe pollination, seed dispersal, and host-range, challenge the established views about the ecological maintenance and evolutionary trajectory of specialization.
AB - In 2001, I synthesised published information on mistletoe-animal interactions, demonstrating the pervasive influence these hemiparasites have on community composition and proposing that mistletoes represent keystone resources. Although the review was global in scope, I noted “Tropical regions, in particular, are underrepresented in the mistletoe literature, and it is unclear if mistletoe is as important in structuring these highly diverse ecosystems as in less diverse temperate areas”. Since then, research on tropical mistletoes has burgeoned, as a growing number of researchers use these forest and woodland hemiparasites to address a wide range of ecological and evolutionary questions. In this commentary, I highlight some recent findings, revisit and refine some emergent inferences, and suggest that tropical mistletoes offer many opportunities for further research, representing tractable models to address many unanswered questions in the life sciences. As well as reinforcing the role of mistletoes as facilitators for plant communities and keystone resources for animal assemblages, research on mistletoe pollination, seed dispersal, and host-range, challenge the established views about the ecological maintenance and evolutionary trajectory of specialization.
KW - Facilitation
KW - Hemiparasite
KW - Keystone resource
KW - Long distance dispersal
KW - Model system
KW - Seed dispersal
KW - Specialization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85015233126&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85015233126&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1139/cjb-2016-0232
DO - 10.1139/cjb-2016-0232
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85015233126
SN - 1916-2804
VL - 95
SP - 211
EP - 217
JO - Botany
JF - Botany
IS - 3
ER -