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Thinning Reduces the Effect of Rust Infection on Jewelweed (Impatiens Capensis)
Author(s) -
Lively Curtis M.,
Johnson Steven G.,
Delph Lynda F.,
Clay Keith
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1940718
Subject(s) - intraspecific competition , biology , competition (biology) , rust (programming language) , population density , ecology , natural population growth , plant density , population , impatiens , density dependence , host (biology) , botany , demography , sowing , sociology , computer science , cultivar , programming language
We examined the relationship between plant density and the probability of infection by a rust (Puccinia recondita) in a natural population of jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). We also reduced plant density in field manipulations to determine whether there is any synergism between intraspecific competition and infection by the rust. The results showed no relationship between plant density and the probability of infection. However, we found that the effect of infection depends on plant density. Uninfected plants grew significantly faster than infected plants under natural conditions of high density, but infection had no significant effect on growth where density was experimentally reduced. Hence, the effect of disease on jewelweed depends on the plant's competitive environment. Such interactions between competition and disease are likely to be important to the population biology and breeding—system evolution of plants.