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Uncorrelated mistletoe infection patterns and mating success with local host specialization in Psittacanthus calyculatus (Loranthaceae)

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Abstract

Mistletoe infection between conspecific and interspecific hosts can be restricted by seed dispersal, host-mistletoe compatibility and abiotic factors, yet no studies have linked mistletoe infection patterns and pollination together for understanding mistletoe distribution at a local scale. Psittacanthus calyculatus (Loranthaceae) is a hemiparasitic plant with a broad host range across its geographic distribution. The potential for local host adaptation has been shown using cross-inoculation experiments, in which plants of mistletoe seeds collected from a given host are more likely to survive when they are inoculated on conspecific host trees compared with those inoculated on other host provenances. Here we evaluate host adaptation by describing the local patterns of infection (prevalence and intensity) of P. calyculatus mistletoes on three native host tree species (Alnus acuminata, Quercus crassipes, Salix bonplandiana) and one introduced species (Populus alba) and carried out cross-pollination experiments to examine how pollination affects infection patterns of different host species. Mistletoe infection prevalence (proportion of infection) and infection intensity (mean number of mistletoes per tree) were in general disproportional with respect to the availability of native host tree species but higher to that of non-native host tree species. Cross-pollination experiments showed higher mating success on the native host tree species, suggesting higher local adaptation to specially Q. crassipes. The observed spatial distribution of host tree species and mistletoe infection along with the non-random mating could contribute to local genetic structuring of mistletoe populations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank S. Díaz-Infante, H. Martínez-Roldan, S. Rodríguez-Mendieta, and the municipal and community authorities of Tetlatlahuca (San Andrés Coamilpa, Santa Agueda and Santa Cruz) for field assistance and logistic support, and R. Guevara for statistical advice. We are indebted to Antonio González-Rodríguez, Eduardo Ruiz-Sanchez and three anonymous reviewers for comments on previous versions of the manuscript. Permission to conduct our fieldwork was granted by the Mexican government (INE, SEMARNAT, SGPA/DGGFS/712/1299/12). This project was funded by research funds (20030/10563) from the Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), and from a competitive grant (155686) from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) awarded to J.F.O. M.J.P.C. was supported by a doctoral scholarship from CONACyT (365006/248109). This work constitutes partial fulfilment of MJPC’s doctorate at INECOL.

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  1. Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    María José Pérez-Crespo & Juan Francisco Ornelas

  2. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, 90120, San Felipe Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala, Mexico

    María José Pérez-Crespo & Carlos Lara

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  1. María José Pérez-Crespo
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Correspondence to Juan Francisco Ornelas.

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Pérez-Crespo, M.J., Lara, C. & Ornelas, J.F. Uncorrelated mistletoe infection patterns and mating success with local host specialization in Psittacanthus calyculatus (Loranthaceae). Evol Ecol 30, 1061–1080 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-016-9866-z

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