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Can dispersal mode predict corridor effects on plant parasites?
Lauren L Sullivan1, Brenda L Johnson, Lars A Brudvig
1Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, 253 Bessey Hall, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA. Ilsull@iastate.edu
Ecology
|September 13, 2011
Summary
Conservation corridors can increase plant parasite spread, especially those dispersed by other organisms. Managers should mitigate edge effects and parasite connectivity when designing corridors.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Landscape Management
Background:
- Habitat corridors are used to enhance landscape connectivity for species.
- Concerns exist that corridors may facilitate the spread of antagonists like diseases.
- The impact of corridors on parasite incidence remains largely untested.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally evaluate if habitat corridors increase the incidence of plant parasites.
- To determine if corridor impacts vary based on parasite dispersal mode.
- To assess the role of edge effects on parasite incidence within corridors.
Main Methods:
- A large-scale, replicated experiment was conducted.
- The incidence of plant parasites with different dispersal modes was measured.
- Parasite responses to corridor connectivity and edge effects were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Corridor connectivity increased the incidence of biotically dispersed parasites (galls on Solidago odora).
- Abiotically dispersed parasites (foliar fungi on S. odora and Lespedeza spp.) were not affected by corridor connectivity.
- Both parasite types responded to edge effects, with varied directional responses.
Conclusions:
- Habitat corridors can increase the spread of certain plant parasites, particularly those dispersed by biotic agents.
- Conservation corridor design should consider mitigating edge effects and the enhanced connectivity for biotic parasite dispersal.
- Further research is needed to generalize findings to other species and landscapes.
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