Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern
Harsh, unpredictable environments are known to favor cooperative groups in animals. Whether plants exhibit similar relationships is unknown. Staghorn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum, Polypodiaceae) are epiphytes that form cooperative groups which build communal water and nutrient ‘nests’ at the tops o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Plant Signaling & Behavior |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2024.2335453 |
| _version_ | 1797218351911534592 |
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| author | Kahurangi Cronin Ian Hutton K.C. Burns |
| author_facet | Kahurangi Cronin Ian Hutton K.C. Burns |
| author_sort | Kahurangi Cronin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Harsh, unpredictable environments are known to favor cooperative groups in animals. Whether plants exhibit similar relationships is unknown. Staghorn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum, Polypodiaceae) are epiphytes that form cooperative groups which build communal water and nutrient ‘nests’ at the tops of trees, a habitat characterized by water and nutrient stress. We conducted field observations to test whether staghorn ferns continue to live in large, reproductively active groups after they become dislodged from the canopy and fall to the forest floor, where they are less limited by water and nutrient deprivation. To rule out the potentially confounding effects of light limitation on the forest floor, we also conducted a multi-year glasshouse experiment where we transplanted individual plants into soil and onto vertically oriented boards under standardized light conditions. Results from field observations showed that dislodged colonies formed smaller groups that reproduced less than epiphytic colonies. Results from the glasshouse experiment showed that even when growing in full sun, terrestrial individuals tended to remain solitary, while epiphytic individuals tended to recruit new individuals into colonies. Results also showed that plants growing in potting soil and exposed to full sunlight sporulated more heavily than plants growing epiphytically. However, localities that are characterized by both elevated soil and light resources are generally not available to staghorn ferns in the wild, perhaps with the exception of large, epiphytic colonies with well-developed nests at the top of tree canopies. Overall results indicate that the harsh environmental conditions at the tops of trees trigger the formation of colonies in staghorn ferns, similarly to group living animals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:16:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11846126f0324630a70bd4ea5b6d6d3f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1559-2316 1559-2324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:16:23Z |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plant Signaling & Behavior |
| spelling | doaj.art-11846126f0324630a70bd4ea5b6d6d3f2024-04-08T08:30:59ZengTaylor & Francis GroupPlant Signaling & Behavior1559-23161559-23242024-12-0119110.1080/15592324.2024.23354532335453Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fernKahurangi Cronin0Ian Hutton1K.C. Burns2Victoria University of WellingtonLord Howe Island MuseumVictoria University of WellingtonHarsh, unpredictable environments are known to favor cooperative groups in animals. Whether plants exhibit similar relationships is unknown. Staghorn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum, Polypodiaceae) are epiphytes that form cooperative groups which build communal water and nutrient ‘nests’ at the tops of trees, a habitat characterized by water and nutrient stress. We conducted field observations to test whether staghorn ferns continue to live in large, reproductively active groups after they become dislodged from the canopy and fall to the forest floor, where they are less limited by water and nutrient deprivation. To rule out the potentially confounding effects of light limitation on the forest floor, we also conducted a multi-year glasshouse experiment where we transplanted individual plants into soil and onto vertically oriented boards under standardized light conditions. Results from field observations showed that dislodged colonies formed smaller groups that reproduced less than epiphytic colonies. Results from the glasshouse experiment showed that even when growing in full sun, terrestrial individuals tended to remain solitary, while epiphytic individuals tended to recruit new individuals into colonies. Results also showed that plants growing in potting soil and exposed to full sunlight sporulated more heavily than plants growing epiphytically. However, localities that are characterized by both elevated soil and light resources are generally not available to staghorn ferns in the wild, perhaps with the exception of large, epiphytic colonies with well-developed nests at the top of tree canopies. Overall results indicate that the harsh environmental conditions at the tops of trees trigger the formation of colonies in staghorn ferns, similarly to group living animals.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2024.2335453socialitycolonial livingcooperationplatyceriumbehavior |
| spellingShingle | Kahurangi Cronin Ian Hutton K.C. Burns Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern Plant Signaling & Behavior sociality colonial living cooperation platycerium behavior |
| title | Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| title_full | Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| title_fullStr | Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| title_short | Harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| title_sort | harsh environmental conditions promote cooperative behavior in an epiphytic fern |
| topic | sociality colonial living cooperation platycerium behavior |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2024.2335453 |
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