Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration
with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus
alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos

J 2017

Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Jan MLADEK, Jan HORNIK, Tamara TESITELOVA, Vojtěch ADAMEC et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos

Authors

TĚŠITEL, Jakub (203 Czech Republic), Jan MLADEK (203 Czech Republic), Jan HORNIK (203 Czech Republic), Tamara TESITELOVA (203 Czech Republic), Vojtěch ADAMEC (203 Czech Republic) and Lubomír TICHÝ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Journal of Applied Ecology, HOBOKEN, WILEY, 2017, 0021-8901

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10611 Plant sciences, botany

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 5.742

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/17:00100129

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12889

UT WoS

000410678700021

Keywords in English

clonal plant; competition; diversity decline; dominance; ecological restoration; ecosystem engineering; land use change; parasitic plant; rhizome; semi-natural grassland

Abstract

V originále

1. Dominance of native or alien competitive plants causes competitive exclusion of subordinate species and represents a major mechanism reducing biodiversity following land-use changes. The successful competitive strategies may, however, be interfered with by parasitic plants, which withdraw resources from other plants' vasculature. Parasitism may strongly reduce the growth of the dominants, which may facilitate regeneration of other species and consequently trigger restoration of natural communities of high diversity. 2. Here, we aim to provide robust empirical evidence demonstrating this restoration potential of parasitic plants. We present a case study testing suppressive effects of hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus on competitive grass Calamagrostis epigejos. In recent decades, C. epigejos has invaded many high-nature-value semi-natural grasslands of Central Europe, which is one of the prominent factors causing their biodiversity decline. 3. We conducted three manipulative field experiments testing the effect of sowing of R. alectorolophus in different vegetation types infested by C. epigejos. Rhinanthus sowing was compared to different mowing treatments recommended as the 'best practice' management at respective sites. 4. Rhinanthus alectorolophus established itself in most C. epigejos-dominated plots where sown. Calamagrostis epigejos was virtually exterminated in 2 years in two of the experiments (dry meadow and industrial area). In the wet-meadow experiment, the suppressive effect was variable as a result of uneven establishment success of Rhinanthus. In this experiment increased mowing intensity had an additional suppressive effect on C. epigejos. Rhinanthus also increased regeneration potential of other species by a temporary reduction of vegetation density. Restoration of target vegetation composition was, however, dependent on community context. 5. Synthesis and applications. We demonstrated that hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus is an accessible and efficient tool for targeted biological control of Calamagrostis epigejos, with a great potential to restore infested grassland vegetation. The strong effect of Rhinanthus is caused by interference with the underground storage and clonal growth strategy of Calamagrostis epigejos, which are both traits that underlie its competitive ability. The potential of native parasitic plants should be considered in restoration management of sites infested by competitive dominants, either alien or native.

Citovat

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Jan MLADEK, Jan HORNIK, Tamara TESITELOVA, Vojtěch ADAMEC and Lubomír TICHÝ. Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos. Journal of Applied Ecology. HOBOKEN: WILEY, 2017, vol. 54, No 5, p. 1487-1495. ISSN 0021-8901. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12889.

@article{1409481,
   author = {Těšitel, Jakub and Mladek, Jan and Hornik, Jan and Tesitelova, Tamara and Adamec, Vojtěch and Tichý, Lubomír},
   article_location = {HOBOKEN},
   article_number = {5},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12889},
   keywords = {clonal plant; competition; diversity decline; dominance; ecological restoration; ecosystem engineering; land use change; parasitic plant; rhizome; semi-natural grassland},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0021-8901},
   journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},
   title = {Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos},
   volume = {54},
   year = {2017}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1409481
AU  - Těšitel, Jakub - Mladek, Jan - Hornik, Jan - Tesitelova, Tamara - Adamec, Vojtěch - Tichý, Lubomír
PY  - 2017
TI  - Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos
JF  - Journal of Applied Ecology
VL  - 54
IS  - 5
SP  - 1487-1495
EP  - 1487-1495
PB  - WILEY
SN  - 00218901
KW  - clonal plant
KW  - competition
KW  - diversity decline
KW  - dominance
KW  - ecological restoration
KW  - ecosystem engineering
KW  - land use change
KW  - parasitic plant
KW  - rhizome
KW  - semi-natural grassland
N2  - 1. Dominance of native or alien competitive plants causes competitive exclusion of subordinate species and represents a major mechanism reducing biodiversity following land-use changes. The successful competitive strategies may, however, be interfered with by parasitic plants, which withdraw resources from other plants' vasculature. Parasitism may strongly reduce the growth of the dominants, which may facilitate regeneration of other species and consequently trigger restoration of natural communities of high diversity. 2. Here, we aim to provide robust empirical evidence demonstrating this restoration potential of parasitic plants. We present a case study testing suppressive effects of hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus on competitive grass Calamagrostis epigejos. In recent decades, C. epigejos has invaded many high-nature-value semi-natural grasslands of Central Europe, which is one of the prominent factors causing their biodiversity decline. 3. We conducted three manipulative field experiments testing the effect of sowing of R. alectorolophus in different vegetation types infested by C. epigejos. Rhinanthus sowing was compared to different mowing treatments recommended as the 'best practice' management at respective sites. 4. Rhinanthus alectorolophus established itself in most C. epigejos-dominated plots where sown. Calamagrostis epigejos was virtually exterminated in 2 years in two of the experiments (dry meadow and industrial area). In the wet-meadow experiment, the suppressive effect was variable as a result of uneven establishment success of Rhinanthus. In this experiment increased mowing intensity had an additional suppressive effect on C. epigejos. Rhinanthus also increased regeneration potential of other species by a temporary reduction of vegetation density. Restoration of target vegetation composition was, however, dependent on community context. 5. Synthesis and applications. We demonstrated that hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus is an accessible and efficient tool for targeted biological control of Calamagrostis epigejos, with a great potential to restore infested grassland vegetation. The strong effect of Rhinanthus is caused by interference with the underground storage and clonal growth strategy of Calamagrostis epigejos, which are both traits that underlie its competitive ability. The potential of native parasitic plants should be considered in restoration management of sites infested by competitive dominants, either alien or native.
ER  -

TĚŠITEL, Jakub, Jan MLADEK, Jan HORNIK, Tamara TESITELOVA, Vojtěch ADAMEC and Lubomír TICHÝ. Suppressing competitive dominants and community restoration with native parasitic plants using the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus alectorolophus and the dominant grass Calamagrostis epigejos. \textit{Journal of Applied Ecology}. HOBOKEN: WILEY, 2017, vol.~54, No~5, p.~1487-1495. ISSN~0021-8901. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12889.

Detailed Information on Publication Record