Open AccessResource choice in Cuscuta europaea.
Author(s) -
Colleen K. Kelly
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.89.24.12194
Subject(s) - cuscuta , host (biology) , biology , parasitic plant , botany , ecology
Individual stems with growing tips of dodder (Cuscuta europaea) were transplanted onto host plants (hawthorn) of varying nutritional status. The parasite was more likely to coil on ("accept") hosts of high nutritional status and grow away from ("reject") hosts of poor quality. Dodder exhibits this acceptance/rejection response before taking up any food from the host, so it is possible to dissociate active choice from the passive effects of growth and mortality. Probability of acceptance is gauged to expected reward.