Effects of land use and topographic variables on distribution of pine mistletoe (Viscum álbum subsp. austriacum (Wiesb.) Vollm.) in northeastern Turkey

Ayhan Usta,Murat Yılmaz

doi:10.1590/01047760202127012618

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the distribution of pine mistletoe in Scots pine ecosystems in relation to topographic variables and land uses. A total of 109 sample plots were selected from pure Scots pine forests in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating was used for infection severity. Pearson correlation analysis results showed signiﬁcant relationships between mistletoe infection severity and topographic variables in 30 m buffer and land use in 500 m buffer. Results: Of the sample plots, 69 (63%) were mistletoe infected, and 40 (37%) were uninfected. The t-test results showed that there was a signiﬁcant difference between mean topographic variables and land use in mistletoe infected and uninfected sample plots. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis showed that altitude, productive forest, slope, and road distance were the most signiﬁcant predictors of the distribution of pine mistletoe as topographic variables and land uses. Conclusion: The common direction of mistletoe infected areas, in addition to Scots pine ecosystems, was low altitudes, sheltered valleys, more humid areas and different land use (agriculture, road and stream).

Highlights

Parasitic plants are a common component of many terrestrial communities and have ecological and economic importance due to their distribution across the world (Musselman and Press, 1995; Press and Phoenix, 2005; Agrios, 2005; Mathiasen et al, 2008)
Mistletoe distribution increased at low altitudes, sheltered valleys and more humid areas
In forest ecosystems, there are some semi-parasitic plants living in many plant species (Norton et al, 2002), including mistletoe (Viscum album L.), which is a semi-parasitic plant with a wide distribution (Barlow, 1983; Watson, 2001)

Summary

Introduction

Parasitic plants are a common component of many terrestrial communities and have ecological and economic importance due to their distribution across the world (Musselman and Press, 1995; Press and Phoenix, 2005; Agrios, 2005; Mathiasen et al, 2008). More than 4.500 species of parasites are plants (Nickrent et al, 1998) This group of parasites includes plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees that receive water and nutrients from a wide variety of host plants in ecosystems worldwide (Musselman and Press, 1995). In forest ecosystems, there are some semi-parasitic plants living in many plant species (Norton et al, 2002), including mistletoe (Viscum album L.), which is a semi-parasitic plant with a wide distribution (Barlow, 1983; Watson, 2001). Mistletoes are semi-parasitic plants that receive water and carbohydrate from host trees (Glatzel and Geils, 2009) and contribute to biodiversity since their fruits feed several bird species in winter (Mathiasen et al, 2008). This study evaluated the distribution of pine mistletoe in Scots pine ecosystems in relation to topographic variables and land uses. Pearson correlation analysis results showed significant relationships between mistletoe infection severity and topographic variables in 30 m buffer and land use in 500 m buffer

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion